Hiraeth
by JJOAS
Summary: Noun - homesickness tinged with grief or sadness over a lost home that can never be returned to. Persephone Pines former muggleborn Hufflepuff Unspeakable tossed into the Walking Dead dimension after a botched up portal take down at work. This is an alternate universe Walking Dead. On Hiatus.
1. Chapter 1

**Hiraeth**

Noun - homesickness tinged with grief or sadness over a lost home that can never be returned to.

**Story Premise: ****  
**  
Persephone Pines former muggleborn Hufflepuff Unspeakable tossed into the walking dead dimension after a botched up portal take down at work. This is an alternate universe Walking Dead.

This story is rated M for future scenes and vulgarity. You have been warned.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

So I am still re-writing all of Hippocampus to straighten out the problems in continuity and any holes that are still present. While I'm doing that I had the crazy idea of writing _this_ story.

Be warned, this is an alternate universe story so things _will_ be different at times. This is _not_ a happy rainbows and pink kitten fluff story. It may be a dark. Bad shit may happen. If that's not what you wanted, there are many other great stories to pursue out there.

Reviews mean that I _keep going_ and _update sooner_. Flames are not appreciated or welcomed. Remember what Thumper the rabbit said in the movie Bambi. If you have nothing nice to say, then don't say it. If you have constructive criticism, go ahead and give it, that's always welcomed.

The first chapter is in third point of view, but after that it'll be in first point of view.

**I'll only state this once since none of this is for profit. Any references pertaining to the aforementioned in the present and future do not belong to me.**

The Walking Dead belongs to Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore

Harry Potter belongs to J.K Rowling

Steven universe belongs to Rebecca Sugar

Doctor who belongs to the BBC

Archer belongs to Adam Reed for the FX network

Adventure time belongs to Pendleton Ward for Cartoon Network

Gravity falls belongs to Alex Hirsch for the Disney Channel

The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt belongs to Robert Carlock and Tina Fey for Netflix

Star Wars belongs to George Lucas and Disney

**I _do_ own this story, and the lovely Persephone Pines.**

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

**Chapter One**

**Into the void**

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

The sky was peppered with a heavy curtain of lights. They shone iridescent blues, yellows, and whites, hung against the sea of black. Outside the wind stung the trees, and sparked a cold heat in limbs, hands and faces, yet there was no snow, no dew, and no frost adorning the trees or grass. It was definitely a cold winter in BC.

It had been a long night for Persephone Pines. As a Canadian Unspeakable she was tasked to do a lot of things in her three years of working in their department. Tonight she was doing the last portal take down in her shift. Her arduous twelve hour shift was almost over. She could certainly do with a nap after all this was over.

Perhaps it was sleep deprivation or just the haze of exhaustion that filled the twenty-seven year olds form, but she did not notice that the rural array was off. Jeffery, her manager, was supposed to fix it during his shift, but it must have slipped his mind. Because of this simple mistake, Persephone Pines; Hufflepuff Canadian Unspeakable extraordinaire, was vacuumed into a dimensional portal faster than you could say snap. And all that was heard in that dimly lit rune bay was a sharply whispered "Shit". The portal itself popped out of existence and erased any trace of Persephone Pines in this universe, closing the crack in space and time that it had been making.

No one would ever remember, and so the world continued to spin madly on.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

It felt like she was sucked into a tube the size of a sewing needle filled with lightning. A needle with no end it seemed. At least the pain had worn off and now all she felt was an odd minty sensation as she was pulled apart and shot through it. Finding that her journey was taking far too long, Persephone thought about what _was_ her life.

She had miscarried _and_ lost her husband all at the same time a year prior and thus still couldn't find the peace to sleep. The nightmares continued to haunt her, but perhaps now they stop. Perhaps now she would get to join them in wherever they were. She hoped that was true. Those stupid drunk drivers did this to her. She found that they were all to blame for her loss. It was 2019 and they still couldn't save her husband and her baby. The magic and mundane world couldn't do anything, so much for the future.

Her fifty year old parents tried to give her consoling advice, but couldn't really do much since they were retired dentists living in Manila, Philippines. Air fare, even with instant transport was still really expensive. They certainly did not have time with all the grandchildren that they had in Philippines.

Her three sisters and four brothers all had their own families, they all didn't live in BC, and they could only really offer more advice and money. They still believed as the eldest, she should have been able to handle anything and everything that life threw at her. Their big expectations of her never decreased or wavered. It really only ever added to her mountain of stress. No wonder she had already lost so much god damn weight. They grew up poor, but now that wasn't a problem with her job being what it was, so no to both.

Physically she was fit albeit big boned. She'd never be as thin and wispy as her sisters or all those k-pop stars that were still getting so popular on the HoloNet. Her cheeks always irritated her due to their chubby quality. She wondered if she would have them again after this. Her big curly black hair never bothered her though. It reminded her of Minister Granger's awesome mane of hair. Princess Emma Watson, married to the one and only Prince Harry, and her really looked like sisters.

She thought of her beloved color blocked hipster glasses and how they were probably vaporized. Being nearsighted wasn't that bad when she got to wear her favorite glasses. Besides, having blue eyes made up for any vision problems in her mind. She wondered if she still had freckles. She liked her freckles, and thought that they gave her character.

She made peace with being a halfer ages ago; being half German and half Filipino had its perks. She still hadn't made peace with her former five foot nothing height though, not even now. Although none of that mattered because she was just particles of, what could possibly be her mind and soul? Huh. She looked like blurry blue fairy lights. She tried to ignore the fact she did not have eyeballs and the impossible way she was seeing anything. She needed to remain calm. It was so much easier to breathe in this form. No asthma in sight.

She knew that she should have switched out of her department ages ago. The magical and mundane tech department never had accidents like this. Probably, she hoped. She totally would have been qualified too because she had a working prototype of a Samsung lite phone powered by a spark of magic on a single rune placed on the simcard. She loved technology, the internet especially, almost as much as video games and cartoons. Her husband had loved those things too. Reading was her biggest love though if you didn't count her late husband. She started reading at three years old and kept devouring the written word until the day she got stuck here, wherever here was.

All that schooling she went through felt like a waste of time now. What was her nursing license, her doctorate, or any of the many years of magical training she had good for now? This was stupid Jeffery's fault. She couldn't conjure anything, couldn't do anything with runes, or wandlessly do anything as a mass of blue doted lights, now could she?

She bemoaned the fact that she was missing both her twenty eighth birthday, and her Netflix marathon. Netflix finally had all of the seasons for The Walking Dead, Steven Universe, Adventure Time, Gravity Falls, Doctor Who, and Archer now. Plus two new seasons of The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt came out yesterday. If she could have she would have sighed. She also recalled that she forgot to pick up her order of rainbow cake. Damn. The Pinterest shop was not cheap. It was getting to be just as expensive as Etsy.

Persephone let her thoughts wander and considered that she could be dead; as in actually dead, in the sense that there was no great adventure after. The portal did previously have a vaporize self destruct function. Because currently she saw nothing but darkness, no halos, no one else, and the light she could really see belonged to her. She wondered when her family would notice, and found that she did not have the emotional strength to properly grieve for the world and family she knew she lost. She'd never be able to get back. Stupid Jeffrey...

Thankfully there seemed to be a light ahead and soon the dark needle she was speeding through snapped thrusting her into a bight white light.

The Walking Dead universe would not know what hit it.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

To be continued...

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll


	2. Chapter 2

**Hiraeth**

Noun - homesickness tinged with grief or sadness over a lost home that can never be returned to.

**Story Premise:**

Persephone Pines former muggleborn Hufflepuff unspeakable tossed into the walking dead dimension after a botched up portal take down at work. This is an alternate universe Walking Dead.

This story is rated M for future scenes and vulgarity. You have been warned.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Be warned, this is an alternate universe story so things _will_ be different at times. This is _not_ a happy rainbows and pink kitten fluff story. It may be a dark. If that's not what you wanted, there are many other great stories to pursue out there.

Reviews mean that I _keep going_ and _update sooner_. Flames are not appreciated or welcomed. Remember what Thumper the rabbit said in the movie Bambi. If you have nothing nice to say, then don't say it. If you have constructive criticism, go ahead and give it, that's always welcomed.

I do not own the following:

The Body Snatchers belong to Jack Finney

**Some important information to take note of:**

_There will be time skips in future chapters._

Carl is born on October 28th 2000 11 pm.  
In the year 2012 Carl is 11, Lori is 30, and Rick 32.  
The out break is on September 20th 2012.  
Rick was in a coma for a month into the outbreak before waking up.

I've increased their ages in comparison to the comics because I wanted Carl to be closer to the TV age instead of his comic age.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

**Chapter Two**

**WTF?!**

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

While I flew through the blinding light, I felt something phase through the form I was in. Memories about a man named Rick and a woman named Lori. I think it was just an awful coincidence that their last name was Grimes; just an awful coincidence.

I saw how there weren't any walkers and this world _seemed_ normal enough. I saw how they met as children; her at seven and him at nine, how she had always had a crush on him; the boy next door, how they started dating in high school, and all her happiest moments up until now.

I knew now that Lori Grimes was in the first year into their marriage and had a car accident while going to tell Rick great news. Lightning had struck her car during her drive over on a clear sunny day. She definitely had shitty luck. Great luck in love though. She seemed too nice, and looked like she loved this Rick too fiercely for this to be the same crazy bitchy Lori from the walking dead. She couldn't be her.

The present year was the year 2000; time travel. Well fuck. That's about twenty years into the past. I wonder if there might be another me in wherever this place is. Is there any magical society here? This Lori Grimes seems like a mundane. Is this an alternate universe? I wish I had more answers.

They just got married three months ago on October 20 2000. Huh. I guess the honeymoon period is over. That was a bad joke. It's good I don't have a mouth or an audience to my horrible puns and dark humor... That was one nice looking wedding. I didn't care for the dress she wore that flashed on by though. Uhg... Her dress had way too much poof. I would've preferred a strapless heel length wedding gown kind of like the one Amy Pond wore on her big day.

Huh. Lady dropped out of university, a nursing course, a month ago on September, after first year. I wonder, what made her crack? She's pregnant at age twenty one on January 2000. Damn, this lady was really particular with her memories. Time, date, and location. Maybe she had OCD? This lady's weird.

Lori was an only child and both parents died of old age; they had her well into their 40s. Oh! Her actual name is Laura. Lori is probably a nickname then. Oddly enough her maiden name matched my own; Pines. We even had the same birthday with differing years; both on May 27, but hers in 1982, same hour too; midnight. This was starting to get freaky. Really freaky; I mean honestly, I'm a mass of blurry blue light right now looking at some lady's memories. At least we did _not_ have the same middle names. I certainly preferred my Mabel, to her Lily.

She had been in a coma for a week, and the baby managed to survive unscathed too. That was a definite miracle if I ever saw one. They had been living in King County, Georgia for three months now because of Rick's promotion as a sheriff instead of a deputy. Definitely not cannon to the comic or TV show. Wherever I am, I should be safe. I hope.

Suddenly there was one last flash of lightning that seemed to push the flashing memories away. I felt like I was being pulled into another tiny ass needle. Damn it. There's the pain again. When will this journey end? And suddenly there was darkness. I spoke too soon.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

When I finally felt the darkness ebbing away, I tried to pry open my eyelids. Oh hey! I have eyelids again! I took a breath; and lungs! Which means I have a body; this explained all the pain. I didn't feel as much pain as a blurry bunch of fairy lights. I felt as though everything I had unfortunately experienced was a terrible nightmare, but I soon realized that was I was wrong. The white ceiling was paneled, the walls were the same color, both were obviously wooden knock offs, which wasn't something normal in the magical sector or my time. Somehow I had managed to sit up despite the stiffness in my limbs and the urge to vomit.

It looked like I was in a mundane hospital if this private room, adjustable bed, and everything else meant anything. Man that TV was boxy. I miss super flat smart TVs already. Oh no. I really hate the tech from the 2000s; 2020 or bust! This sucks.

I felt up my body slowly and stiffly examining myself with my fingers in the dark. I didn't want to chance turning on the light yet. I couldn't face whoever might be there should someone come and check up on me. I hoped that the night shift staff was lazy at this hospital. It would certainly buy me some time.

Through a sliver of moon light filtering through the blinds in this hospital room I found that I wasn't my normal light mocha color anymore. I was really white. Like actually Caucasian. This is strange. I don't remember whitening my skin.

I felt my earlobes. Damn it. Why didn't I have any of my piercings?! My heart raced. I couldn't feel my locket or my other rings. Ugh. This was bad.

I kept trucking. I felt my hair. It was just as soft, but certainly not as tightly curled or thick. It felt thinner and more like loose curls really. Okay...continuing on I decided to take the plunge and turned on the light to find a mirror. I wheeled the IV pole with me, not wanting to risk accidentally pulling it out along the way. I gave a sigh of relief when I noticed I didn't have a catheter or a feeding tube in me. Thank God for small blessings. Making my way to the bathroom across from my bed, I noticed that I was taller. About four inches or so, but I was barefoot. I felt a pit of dread growing in my stomach. I had always wanted to be taller, but this wasn't what I wished for exactly. Maybe I shouldn't have whined about my height before.

Flicking on the light in the bathroom, I spotted only one image in the mirror. Since I knew I wasn't a ghost, a vampire, or a bunch of lights, then the image of the shell shocked young woman must have been _me_. I waved, made faces, wiggled, mad that the mirror reflected that. Damn. Double damn. Was I reincarnated? Is that what that portal did? Fuck. I am naked under this hospital gown; probably in another alternate Lori Grimes universe, reincarnated as a weird mix of her and me. Ugh. This is so creepy. I don't like this. I began to pout.

My breath hitched, and I noticed that I wasn't going into an asthma attack. Her body was certainly better than mine health wise. I took a deep breath in with my diaphragm, and began the breathing exercise that I used to do in yoga. I tried imagining myself performing some of the stretches or on the high beam in my gymnastics class when I was younger. I tried to pull at the memories of a sweeter saner time. I managed to finally calm my breaths and my pounding heart.

Shaking my head, causing my now loose curly mahogany hair to flip to my back, I inspected this apparently new me. Would they notice? This really didn't look a lot like the Lori Grimes I saw in the Walking Dead. It seemed like her body changed due to my magical core fusing with her mundane body. I'm really hoping that people just assume that the change is because of pregnancy or the accident, because otherwise I'm fucked.

Did this universe make room for me? What does this all mean? This is all Jeffery's fault. Dude couldn't add one lighting bolt! Now I'm stuck here, possibly forever. This is so bad.

I fingered strands of my new hair pulling on a curl watching it bounce back. I had impractically long hair to my mid back. I would have to fix that on a later date. DO I keep being her? Do I live _her_ life now? Or do I make up an excuse and run back to Canada? Do I destroy someone's life to have my life again? This is a big quandary.

Wait. This means I'm twenty one again. Okay. I need to pause. I need to get everything straightened out in my head. It's January 2000. I am in Georgia so far away from my birth place. I really miss Canada. Do I have magic? Is there magic here? I was too afraid to check right now. The change in appearance could only be from my magical core though... I would have to check that later.

I examined my reflection carefully while I took steady deep breaths. My heart felt ready to pop out of my chest again.

I had a slim build now that still managed to be a curvaceous hour glass. At least I still had some of my body. I had wide hips and, cupping my breasts, I guessed I was about a size C cup; two cups down from my normal size. Oval face instead of heart shaped. I still had my wide smile and pouty big lips. My eyes were still mainly blue; there were brown flecks in them now though. They were definitely bigger now and not at all slanted. I still had my thick eyebrows.

Holy shit! I gasped quietly. I didn't need glasses anymore. Damn. There goes getting a new pair of bright quirky glasses. I let out a deep sigh.

Well on wards we go...slender fingers check; I wonder if she played an instrument before because the tips of her left hand's fingers were calloused, button nose check, straight teeth check, and _good_ gums check. At least I didn't have to worry about her having gingivitis. She didn't even have any cavities. Daaamn! _Kudos_ previous body owner, this is one healthy body. I really hope I'm not some kind of body snatcher alien thing now. That movie and that book freaked me the fruitcake out.

I tried to smile, and noted that besides having straight teeth she had DIMPLES! I always wanted dimples. They made people so adorable. Did she have dimples before? Because I certainly didn't notice her having any dimples from her flashing memories; she needed to smile more.

Do I keep referring to this body as hers or mine? That thing that flew threw me was probably her. Eww… Oh God. This is all too weird.

I shook my hands taking note that I thin wrists. Turning my arms over and checking all over the expanse of skin, I noted that I didn't have any scars or any marks of any kind.

Stretching out I tried to crack my back to no avail. Gah! This body couldn't crack it's back. That really sucks.

Looking down I saw my feet. They looked like a six or maybe a seven. Certainly not the size five I used to have. I stared at this new me some more. I let out a dry hum. My throat hurt. Well that was to be expected. My lips looked chapped and I was temped to pick as it till all the dead skin was out of my sight. I twitched for several minutes and managed to resist. It wouldn't due to damage this new body even for my obsessive compulsive disorders. I'll just get some water and ChapStick to fix my problem. They have ChapStick here, right? I felt my butt. I looked back and found that this booty felt much better than my previous behind. I have a better butt!

Glancing at the clock that hung near the bed across from the open bathroom door I found that it was only three am. The hospital staff certainly didn't do odd number checks like I had to at the nursing home or at Surrey Memorial. I thanked God for that small mercy.

I lifted the hospital gown and inspected this new me further. I had pink nipples, which I found was astoundingly weird. I always had brown parts so all this pink really threw me off. Pink lips, pink nipples, pink vagina buried under hair; this was all too weird. I didn't dare look into this new vagina, although I know that I would have too soon enough. Genital care is important especially with pregnant women. Damn. I just didn't want to know right now.

I let out another frustrated sigh making sure that I didn't make too much noise just in case I was wrong, and the night nurses were doing their rounds. Taking a peek at the closed door around the corner I was relieved to note that it was locked.

Would I have to have sex with Rick, and pretend to be his wife forever till I _die_ now? Is this the Walking Dead universe? If it was then where were the walkers? I suppose this could be the time before everything happened. Long, long, long before shit hit the fan since Carl wasn't even born. Could I change things this far back? I'm not the Lori Grimes from the television show. My personality is vastly different from that one sided bitch. Damn. I have so much hate for that lady from the show/comic, but the memories of the woman I saw were kind.

Shaking myself out of my thoughts I made certain to not pull out my IV. Hmm. It was good that I was ambidextrous since they put the IV in my left arm. I suppose that meant that Lori was right handed. Her wedding ring and engagement rings glimmered in the dull light of the hospital bathroom.

Another sigh escaped me. I couldn't ruin someone's family because I got pulled into some weird alternate world shenanigans. I mean, I could. I totally had the ability to. I felt the magic still tingly in me. With the tip of my right index finger I concentrated and pulled the magic from me uttering a quiet Lumos. I was afraid that if I didn't say the spell it might not work in this world. Normally I could do all this wordlessly, but I didn't want to chance it.

A second passed and suddenly there was a soft blue glow around my finger, much like what a blue flash light might look like. I felt my body slacken with relief. I hadn't known that I was that tense till now. I thought of the spell Nox, and the light went out.

This meant that I still had magic, which was beyond great. This would be like my cheat code in this life, if I could help it. Now I just need to know if there was a magical society here. Hmmm…. What to do?

I checked the clock again and noted that it was already five in the morning. No nurses in sight. Damn. I thought small town hospitals were more stringent with their protocols.

Pumping myself up with what little self confidence I had left, I decided to do something illegal. If there was a magical society, then I'd be in shit, but at least I would know if there was any form of organized magical government in place. I shook my left hand and concentrated on five one hundred American dollar bills. The feel, the texture, the smell, and everything else I could remember about them before they changed their currency.

Slowly but surely, the permanent conjuration happened; and low and behold five one hundred American dollar bills were crumpled in my right hand. I waited with baited breath to hear apparition pops in the room. A little nervous and shaky I made my way to the bed and climbed back in. I tried to look as innocent as possible while I slipped the money underneath the covers, and waited. And waited. An hour passed and nothing happened.

Time flew by during my wait and my heart felt like it was palpitating in fear. No one was coming. This probably meant that there was magic in this universe. I was the prime example of this. The magical community almost certainly hadn't gathered to form a society, so at best everyone was probably scattered. This meant that there wasn't another me running around since my mum met my dad because of magical activity; activity which wouldn't be there because of this kerfuffle. Damn.

My gut grumbled. I looked down at my still flat stomach; I suppose that wouldn't last too long. I was hungry. I looked around. I wanted to double check that this body was pregnant so I snuggled into my bed and lifted the blanket away from gut. Waving my hand across the flat expanse my belly began to glow a light green. So she was pregnant...or rather I was pregnant. I felt an odd protective sensation towards this growing fetus in me. I had just lost mine a year ago. I prayed that I wouldn't screw anything up and lose this one too.

I slumped back against my pillows and pulled up the blankets to my chin. My stomach grumbled again. I guess I should eat something. I thought about my predicament. I was craving chicken nuggets and fries. Glancing back at the door I made another decision. A rather big one; I was going to live this life as this weird mixed me; I was going to try and love this man, and this family. I wouldn't break them apart, and I certainly would do all that I could do to keep them together. Magic was on my side. I also decided that Shane Walsh was on my _permanent_ shit list, along with a bunch of people.

The clocked ticked on nearby and I noted that it was almost seven am. I quickly conjured up my craving and chowed down. Nom nom nom nom….yumm. After I finished devouring my meal I chucked it into a nearby trash bin. Willing myself to sleep; I had the alarming thought that this place was pretty racist and homophobic back then. This was just another problem to sleep on.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

To be continued...

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll


	3. Chapter 3

**Hiraeth**

Noun - homesickness tinged with grief or sadness over a lost home that can never be returned to.

**Story Premise:**

Persephone Pines former muggleborn Hufflepuff unspeakable tossed into the walking dead dimension after a botched up portal take down at work. This is an alternate universe Walking Dead.

This story is rated M for future scenes and vulgarity. You have been warned.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Be warned, this is an alternate universe story so things _will_ be different at times. This is _not_ a happy rainbows and pink kitten fluff story. It may be a dark. If that's not what you wanted, there are many other great stories to pursue out there.

Reviews mean that I _keep going_ and _update sooner_. Flames are not appreciated or welcomed. Remember what Thumper the rabbit said in the movie Bambi. If you have nothing nice to say, then don't say it. If you have constructive criticism, go ahead and give it, that's always welcomed. If I make any mistakes please point them out, and I'll get to and fix them. Thanks.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

**Chapter Three**

**The Waking World**

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Warm light filtered in through the blinds, and dust motes floated through the dry air. Dust motes smelt funny, kind of like old people. Someone must've opened a window while they were in here.

I refused to open my eyes, prolonging the inevitable. I continued on pretending to sleep. I _really_ didn't want to get up right now. All the revelations from last night, or was it early this morning? It all made my head hurt. On the upside though, I still found that this pregnancy wasn't as hard as my first one. I couldn't keep anything down before, and now I just felt a little achy and only slightly nauseated.

I wondered, not for the first time, if they would see that I was only an imposter of their "beloved" Lori Grimes. Would Rick know? Would I act the same way as her? As egotistical as it sounded, had that portal warped this world so I would fit into her empty shell? I really wouldn't know until opened my eyes. My prior courage was failing me. Well…I wasn't sorted into Gryffindor, so I was totally okay with that.

Oh no… How will I get used to being called something other than my name? I hate the name Lori. Damn it! Could I just pass it off as something that I didn't remember? Would that kind of bullshit work? I wriggled in my bed resisting the urge to get up and pace. If they had met just like in the comics, this wouldn't be such a problem.

Okay. I have to get into the proper mindset. I'll just start calling myself something other than Persephone. That shouldn't be too hard right? Should I go with Laura? Lori? Lily? God damn it! I really _really_ need an excuse here. I hope the portal fucked up this world and that Jeffery gets fired. Knowing my luck though, I'm probably totally erased from my dimensional home or something. Just like episode with Rory and the crack thing with Amy and the Doctor. Internally I shivered and hoped that I was wrong.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

The door opened and multiple footsteps moved closer to my bed. Dread filled my tummy, I felt like I might have eaten bad ice cream. Keeping my breathing even and my countenance calm, I strained my ears to try and hear their quiet conversation.

Someone took my hand, it was probably Rick. I could feel the cool metal of his golden wedding band against mine. It was just another reminder of this crazy situation.

His voice totally sounded like the guy from the Walking Dead TV show. At least he sounded hot. I could handle that. The doctor sounded distinctly male. I wonder if they cleaned my new bits while this body was in a coma. How'd they feed me? I suppose if I listened in then I'd find out.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

"Doc Subramanian?" Rick whispered. He tightened his grip on my hand. Probably willing me to show some sort of life, and I was really tempted to do so too.

"Mr. Grimes. It's been a week and your wife has show terrific progress slowly coming out of her coma. We managed to take her off her feeding tube just two days ago along with her catheter. The fetus is also coming along nicely and shows no damage from the accident." Doctor Subramanian stated. That name sounded familiar, the voice sounded familiar too, now that I thought about it; kind, deep, but slightly clinical. I wonder if he was the doctor from the prison? I couldn't exactly open my eyes and take a peek though.

I could totally feel Rick staring at my still form. I fought against my anxiety and kept pretending to sleep while praying to God that no one would notice.

"But she still isn't awake. It's been more than a week now, doc…" Rick sounded so goddamn sad. I would totally pretend to stir awake once the doctor left. I didn't want any recognition to filter in through my eyes, in order to avoid arousing suspicion with either man since it didn't make sense for me to know a doctor that I had never met before.

"Well from her CAT scans, and the condition we originally found her it's a miracle that she's healing at the rate that she is. The only problem that we found was that she may have retained damage to her hippocampus during the accident. As such we have to be ready." The good doctor stated.

I could feel Rick tensing up through his hand. Ohh… He's standing up. Huh. Still holding my hand though, dude's totally worried out of his mind.

"What does that mean, Doctor Subramanian?" Rick sounded shaky. Oh my God... Is he going to cry? I could never handle men crying. It was awkward, and made my heart ache. Oh dear. I really hope he isn't going to. I resisted the discomfort that made me want to scrunch up my face.

"It just might mean that her personality might be a little different since the hippocampus is in charge of a person's memories, Mr. Grimes. Other than that, your wife should wake up soon. Her physical appearance and physical health has changed a little, but we can blame that to the fact that she was struck by lightning." Doctor Subramanian stated softly. He sounded like he wanted to leave. I would too with this heavy conversation.

Rick turned back and I felt him stroke a hand down my cheek. "I don't really care what she looks like, Doc. I just care if she'll be the same woman that I fell in love with."

"More than anything, I can guarantee that your wife will be fine, but I can't quite promise that. If you'll excuse me, Mr. Grimes, I have another patient that needs my assistance." And with a soft click my door closed and I was left alone with Rick.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

How could I explain my magic? Should I just keep that a secret? Should I not? Could I pass it off as something because of the lightning? Would Rick freak the fuck out? Were Lori and I similar enough in personality in this dimension that he'd shrug it off? Damn all these questions.

I felt him take a seat beside my bed. He held up my right hand with both of his holding it close to his mouth. Kissing my palm he let out a sigh.

"Laura Lily Grimes… If you can hear me please twitch your hand. I don't care that you look different now. You'll _always_ look beautiful to me. I know that you'll probably be a little different, but I hope that the core of you stays the same; the loving independent strong woman that I've known since we were children. Everything else is just extra. None of that matters as long as you, please, _please_ wake up."

Rick stifled a cry. I couldn't let the man cry, so I twitched my fingers making sure to let out a small groan. Rick suddenly became silent.

"Lori?" Rick sounded so scared, like if he didn't grip my hand tightly enough I would just slip away from him. Man…that sounded so sad.

Letting out an actual groan this time I tried to sit up leaning up against my elbows. My throat felt like a dry cat litter. Opening my eyes I peered at him. I noticed that he wouldn't stop staring at me, "Rick?"

"Lori…You remember me?" He looked and sounded like he was about to cry again.

I frowned and tried to pull him towards me. This man needed a hug, badly. He acquiesced and carefully leaned over and tucked me into his arms against his slim chest.

I let out a croak. I really needed some water. "Of course I do, sweetheart."

His shoulders shook and I felt tears dampen my shoulder. "Thank God….Thank God…"

"Rick?" I wasn't quite sure what to make of this, but I would try to be the wife this man deserved. I honestly couldn't find an alternative in this situation. I looked up at him. He was certainly easy on the eyes. My throat hurt something fierce.

"Yes, Lori?" He shifted so he could sit on my bed and still hold me.

He stared down at my face. I could see how he knew that his wife was physically different. People here in this universe certainly proved to sweep things away when it baffled them. Maybe that's why the zombie plague apocalypse happened in this dimension?

"Water?" I was really hopeful that my request would be granted.

He blinked rapidly and nodded before gently letting me go. He poured out some water from a pitcher beside my bed. While he did that I glanced around my room.

There was a bunch of flowers beside the aforementioned water pitcher, probably from him. They were sweet looking flowers, white carnations, pink chrysanthemums, and blue hydrangeas in a vibrant yellow vase. I wonder if they were Lori's favorite flowers, or if they came from the Hospital gift shop. However, besides the flowers and the water pitcher nothing else was in the room leaving it kind of cold devoid of any personality.

"Here you go, sweetie." He gave me the glass watching my every move like I was just an illusion for his wary heart.

"Thank you." I sipped on the water and felt the cool liquid quench my thirst and alleviate my dry throat. I felt more alert after a couple sips. I could see that he wanted to talk, so I hastily gulped down the rest of the water.

Rick took the cup away from me after I had finished. He kept touching my face and kissing my forehead, "I'm so glad you're awake."

I realized that I should probably ask what happened to me, and where I was, since I'm sure that people don't automatically wake up and know where and why there at a location unless they were in a video game. At least, I'm pretty sure that they didn't. "Why am I here? Why'd you call me Lori? What happened?"

Rick shifted again and sat back down on the chair beside my bed. He took my hand and kissed it again before staring into my eyes. These eyes were definitely different from his late wife's eyes, or am I his wife now since I have her weird mixed up body? I still couldn't wrap my head around it.

Was it odd that I asked why he called me Lori? After all, it was more of a nickname and not so much her real name in this dimension.

"What do you remember?" Rick looked worried that I wouldn't remember shit, but I did know almost everything about Lori before she departed. I silently thanked God for that weird exchange, before I found myself inhabiting my new body.

"I remember that _I love you_. I remember that I wanted to surprise you at work with the great news that we're having a baby…. I remember a lot of things, Rick, but what I don't remember is how the hell I ended up here." I really hope Lori swore more in this universe because that was one habit that I grew up with all my life. Unless I was in my work mode I swore all the time. I suppose I'd have to tone down the vulgarity, but like all habits, it would be a hard one to kick.

Rick smiled, so I took that as a good sign. "Lightning struck you down as you were driving out to surprise me. It was the oddest thing since there wasn't a cloud in the sky that day." He hummed bending over and kissing my lips lightly. I did my very best to hide my surprise. I hadn't been kissed since my husband had passed. I pushed down my uneasiness, lightly pecking him in return.

Rick's smile turned into a megawatt grin, "I suppose that I shouldn't call you Lori if that's not what you remember, Laura. I'm glad that this accident hasn't diminished your fire. I'm gonna go get the Doc, okay? Stay right there. I'll be right back." Rick kissed me again, but with a little more gusto. I did my best to return his affection. I really had to work on this. At least I wasn't cringing inwardly or outwardly due to the contact.

Rick left to go retrieve Doctor Subramanian. I just have to take this one step at a time. Now I just have to refer to myself as Laura; this was easier then Lori since I still had mixed feelings about the original. That's what I'll call her; the original and I'm the upgraded two point oh version. It would be a bit easier to swallow, if I thought out us like upgrading a hard drive or something. Otherwise, I would dwell on the moral kerfuffle that I was stuck in.

Too soon Rick returned with the good doctor and he ended up checking all my vitals and was wary about me getting back to my feet right away. Rick seemed rather adamant though. On a different note, I'm glad since I still had the conjured money hidden away in my hospital gown. It wouldn't do to have any unnecessary questions as to how I managed to get money from somewhere. I didn't want to be accused of stealing.

After a bevy of tests trying to figure out if I was fit enough to leave, Doctor Subramanian acquiesced to Rick's quite demands and left to get my discharge papers.

This hospital seemed like it was too packed if they were just letting me leave like that without further inspection and rehabilitation. Or it could have been Rick's stubborn streak showing. I'm not too sure, I am definitely glad I had magic in this universe because otherwise the injuries this body sustained would have at best left me as vegetable. A badly charred vegetable.

After the doctor left, I looked at Rick. He was frowning. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing much, sweet pea; I just thought that they would do more then just those little exercises. You were in a coma for over a week…" He grumbled shaking his head. He sat down on my bed. "Did you need anything before we headed out, darlin'?"

I nodded, "Could you please get me a change of clothes, shoes, and my purse? I'm pretty sure I left it at home and only had my keys and license when I went to go surprise you…"

I idly wondered what kind of bag, what kind of items, and what kind of outward appearance Lori Grimes would have at this age. Either way, I was going to charge ahead and change it. I refused to fill her mold; otherwise I might just end up hating myself and everyone around me.

Rick smiled again and walked over giving me a quick peck on the lips, "I'll be back in a jiff with all your stuff, darlin'." And with a last caress of my cheek Rick left bumping into Doctor Subramanian who handed him my discharge papers.

Dude kind seemed like he was super busy today. I wondered why. It certainly wasn't because of a walker outbreak. It would be far too soon for that to happen.

Rick closed my door, after shooting me a grin. Damn that man looked happy. Actually, when I really thought about it, it was more like he looked almost euphoric. I kind of felt bad. Was I allowed to feel happy that someone valued me this much?

I would just have to shove the guilt back. Making sure that no one else was around I managed to sit up further, and changed where I hid the money, money that I permanently conjured earlier, under my pillow.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

A cheery nurse soon came in to greet me. I wondered if she was new or just really happy today. Most of the nurses that I had worked with in my time were jaded and certainly not as happy.

In any case I smiled back at her, which led to me being pulled into idle chatter about this and that. I really wasn't good at idle chit chat, which was the main reason I went and became an Unspeakable instead of continuing with nursing. Making small talk to win someone's trust, in order to do what needs to be done, wasn't something that I was good at. I trudged through as best as I could though since she seemed nice enough.

Afterwards she gently took out my IV and asked if I needed some help getting cleaned up. I shook my head. She was sweet; didn't wear a name tag though. I'm pretty sure that was against hospital policy. Maybe she forgot about it?

She nodded and gave me a tiny little travel sized bottle. It looked like it came from Bath and Body Works. I'm glad that store existed here. I wonder if David's Tea, and all my other favorite store would be here? I know there wouldn't be a TimHortons here, which was a rather large disappointment. I unscrewed the bottle and took an experimental sniff. I found that it smelled like strawberries. I loved strawberries.

"Does the hospital always give out these things to patients?" I was really curious. It wasn't something the hospital or nursing home I worked at ever did. We usually bought the bigger stuff to save money and used it on all the patients unless aforementioned patient had an allergy of some sort.

"Nope, these are from me. I thought you could use a pick me up since you went through quite an ordeal." The smiley nurse said.

I should really get her name. I hope she doesn't become a walker. She looked familiar though. I could chance this.

"Thank you, nurse…?" I hoped I conveyed my meaning subtly enough. I didn't want to appear to be too nosy.

She certainly looked surprised, "Oh! No problem." She glanced down, cursing quietly, "I suppose I must've dropped my name tag in the break room or something." Shaking her head she held out her hand, "Lilly Chambler at your service."

I knew she looked familiar! This was the TV version of that lady that shot Lori. Hot damn! I was certainly meeting a lot of people from the show, so maybe this dimension leans more heavily towards the show. I'll have to keep note of that. "Laura Grimes." I shook her hand gently. She grinned back at me.

"I have to head off, and deal with another patient, but if you have any problems just give me a ring and I'll come a-knockin', sugar." She made sure to close my door and left me a towel and another set of hospital gowns. They felt warm. She was definitely a sweetheart in real life; definite southern hospitality.

I decided to wait for Rick to come back with a change of clothes before showering, even if I felt like shit. I hated not showering at least once a day, which I knew would be a problem, had I not been magic, because of the oncoming walker plague.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Soon enough, twenty minutes passed by and Rick had returned with something I could change into, and the other things that I had requested. Huh. That looked like my bag! Turquoise and brown, weird pocket, leather, and shoulder straps with feet on the bottom of the bag! This is my bag... I would have to double check later when I get the chance to be alone. I slowly walked over and gave him a hug, which he returned fiercely.

"You want me to help you, sweet pea? Or can you manage by yourself?" Rick was staring at me again with that concerned look in his eyes. Dude was totally babying me, but I didn't mind it so much. To him his wife was almost swiped from him, she really was though, and I had managed to get my husband back from something as awful as this, I would be just as clingy.

"I'm alright, sweetie. I can manage." I initiated the kiss this time, although it was just as brief as all the prior ones. It would look weird if he initiated everything all the time; from all the memories that I had seen, Lori had initiated at least half the affection most of the time. Thank God for my eidetic memory.

"Alright, darlin'. If you need me I'll be out there completing all the particulars of that form so we can get you outta here and back to home sweet home." Rick gave me another kiss on my forehead before departing.

Dude was like six foot nothing here in this dimension, super tall. At least I gained four inches though, that was nice.

After I made sure that he had locked the door and I was alone again, I checked my bag and found that it was exactly the same as the one I had from home. This was beyond improbable, but I was glad that at least the bag was here. The contents were all Lori's though. I made a face at her plain brown leather wallet. That would have to change, along with a bunch of other stuff. I didn't want to be dull. I wanted to be vibrant and colorful, which I wasn't back in my home dimension. This could be my new lease on life.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

I quickly showered using the body wash/shampoo Nurse Chambler gave me, and made sure that all my crevices were squeaky clean. I noted that I wasn't provided with Vagisil, which irritated me, but I just conjured it with a flick of my wrist. There, that was much better.

I dried off the mundane way since it seemed like it would be odd to leave everything untouched when I was clean and dry. I threw my hair up into a pony tail and stared at my reflection.

I'd definitely have to re-pierce my ears and cut my hair. I just don't know when the right time would be. Probably get jewelry and a bunch of other shit later on too. I'm kinda glad she's a housewife now. It'd give me more time, which is a definite plus. I glanced at my nails. I definitely missed nail polish too. I would have to start stockpiling things now. Maybe get Rick to believe I turned a new leaf and wanted to be more outdoorsy? I'll have to figure something out. Did they have a LUSH, back in 2000? I shook my head; my thoughts felt so spazzy lately.

I looked at the underwear Rick had brought me. I couldn't put on a dead woman's under things. That was just wrong. Looking around again, making sure no one was going to catch me in the act, I conjured up a bra and panties; a bright teal and grey with polka dots. I slipped Lori's under garments in my purse buried under her boring paraphernalia.

I decided that I couldn't just change what he brought me since it would look terribly suspicious. I supposed that I would just have to make do till I had the chance to do something about it. Slipping on her white shirt, and dark jeans I had a feeling that I would be inserting a lot more color into Rick's life and my own as well. Although, I'm certain that I would have to keep things muted. Walkers were probably color blind, but a lot of dangerous people weren't.

I slipped the money that I had hidden away into Lori's wallet, and put everything away accordingly. This was the start of my new life. I just had to go at it one step at a time.

I took a look around the room and let out a deep sigh before I slipped on my bag. The familiar weight of it on my shoulder was certainly comforting. I made my way out of the room towards where I thought Rick was.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

To be continued...

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll


	4. Chapter 4

**Hiraeth**

Noun - homesickness tinged with grief or sadness over a lost home that can never be returned to.

**Story Premise:**

Persephone Pines former muggleborn Hufflepuff unspeakable tossed into the walking dead dimension after a botched up portal take down at work. This is an alternate universe Walking Dead.

This story is rated M for future scenes and vulgarity. You have been warned.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Be warned, this is an alternate universe story so things will be different at times. This is not a happy rainbows and pink kitten fluff story. It may be a dark at times. If that's not what you wanted, there are many other great stories to pursue out there.

Reviews mean that I keep going and update sooner. Flames are not appreciated or welcomed. Remember what Thumper the rabbit said in the movie Bambi. If you have nothing nice to say, then don't say it. If you have constructive criticism, go ahead and give it, that's always welcomed.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

**Thank you to the following reviewers:**

Anonymus: Thank you for pointing that out. I have fixed that in that chapter. :3

Hellothere: Thank you very much for your review, and I have replaced the chapter with its updated changes if you wanted to take another look back. ^^

Thumbs up: I have edited the chapter over again. Thanks for the review! :D

Guest: Thanks for the review. I hope you like this chapter. c:

pandakun: Thank you for the review, and for pointing that out. I fixed it, and I hope you enjoy the rest of this story. :)

**Thank you to the following people for putting this story on their favorites list, and/or following the story: **

**_Baseelee, Nancyarev, andy104, DoubtReality, Reinstar Queen of the void, sakuraitakiss_**

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_ before a paragraph means that the diary entries continue

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

The Thrift Shop song belongs to Macklemore

How I Met Your Mother belongs to Craig Thomas and Carter Bays

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

**Chapter Four**

**Diary entries and growth**

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Dear diary,

During my first month here, Rick got Shane Walsh as a deputy. Dude looked like he wanted to eat me, and not like a walker either. Rick was certainly getting really buddy buddy with him.

I got definite bad vibes from him, but I don't think that Rick noticed. I'll probably mention it to him later if it continues. I really hope that it doesn't though, and this was just the first month of my pregnancy too. How he ever got to be their child's godparent, I will _never_ understand.

Just because he's his deputy, does that mean they'll become best friends? Rick never really mentioned any of his friends though. Did Rick _have_ _any_ _other_ really good friends besides this unstable, man? He seemed well liked at the police station.

Speaking of friends; I should make some too. Rick was nice, but having more than just Rick never hurts. Lori didn't seem to make any friends in the three months that she lived here with Rick. I wondered if that said something about her personality or something about this town.

Rick and I managed to get a better feel of one another. He seemed like a really relaxed guy, which was so far from his personality in the show. Was it just his younger age? Was it the walkers and the constant fear of death? Was it because of the strain of his marriage in the show with the horrible Lori? What made them crack and break away from one another, I really wouldn't know.

We had our first date night since the accident. It was awkward and ended in cuddling, but I found that he was sweet.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

Our house was beautifully paneled in a really bright shade of white. The roof's shingles were a dark turquoise, and it had an elegant chimney to the left side of the house. It had a big front porch and a porch swing to boot, but it didn't wrap around the house. My favorite parts of the house were the big bay windows at the front, and cobbled steps that led up to the front porch steps. Upstairs the windows were very similar, but not as big as the ones at the front of the house. The porch floor was dark heather grey, while the inner rails matched the roof and the hand rails matched our house's panels.

It had two stories, with five bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, a large spacious kitchen, a pantry, a large basement, a washer and dryer, and a pretty decent sized backyard. The four bedrooms were decently sized with a very large master bedroom that had it's own on-suit bathroom. This was definitely a gorgeous southern house.

I changed the color of the front door, gone was the bland white, now our door was a cheery vibrant yellow. With a flick of my wrist the shutters on the second floor windows changed into a dark Tardis blue easily contrasting with our newly colored door. I made certain that no one would ask any questions by placing a four hour confundus charm around the door and shutters. I couldn't very well explain why our house looked different when I hadn't called anyone to do it, and no one saw any paint lying around.

I knew I only had ten years to get ready for the plague, but I wouldn't let that impede me from trying to live my new life and enjoying it just a little. Just in case though, I started carving protection runes on all the entrance ways into the house and all along the fence surrounding our property. I even picked up some flattened dowels carving even more protection runes into to place for the entrance of the fence. They repelled the dead, fire, and anyone intending to do any harm to the occupants. It was one of the reasons Shane never had dinner at our house. Every time he'd try to go through our gate, he'd feel like he was violently ill. I'm hoping Rick stops inviting him over.

Even though it was January, it was still warm down here, but I planned on gardening further into my pregnancy so I decided to hold off on that plan. Plus this way I could teach Carl and possibly Rick which plants would be okay to eat in the woods.

I changed the wall colors around the interior of the house making sure that the windows were opened and a slight eight hour confundus charm was layered on them so Rick wouldn't ask any questions. Now the living room was a vibrant yellow, the kitchen walls were a vibrant blue on alternating walls and vibrant shades of green on the other walls, our bedroom was a bright teal, and the baby's room had one cobalt blue accent wall against three bright white walls. I left the other walls in the other areas of our home the bare white that we found them in when we got the house, I would change those wall colors later on.

We now had a bright teal couch, bright yellow side tables, a black dining table, with multicolored dining chairs, and all our other various pieces of furniture were also in varying vibrant hues. I loved being able to do that. It would've been a real pain if I wasn't able to cast anything.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

I didn't really mind unpacking everything on my own, more or less, since it made snooping through all their things really easy. I found out that Lori loved white shirts, jeans, and muted neutrals. She also had a bunch of plaid shirts. I resolved to keep the jeans, and white shirts, but I only kept a select few of everything else. Some variety would help even if I wouldn't be able to keep it forever because of the oncoming plague. She also only had two pairs of shoes, and it wouldn't really matter. Pregnancy made my feet bigger... I supposed that she didn't really care about those sorts of things. I wondered what she did care about, but all these questions about the previous tenant really didn't do anything to help me.

I finished unpacking while Rick worked. He worked from nine am till five pm, so it was just a regular eight hour shift, which meant that I had plenty of time to put everything away. I don't know what caused Lori to feel like she was being emotionally neglected. The guy always came home on time and gave me so much attention that it felt a little stifling especially when I wanted to do things with my magic.

It turns out, after I rifled through her things, that the original Lori liked necklaces. I found a plain silver locket, and after finding that, it gave me a brilliant idea. I wanted to break the locket apart at its hinges and make it so that it had two necklaces. Both would have protection charms and act as a way for us to communicate if we ever got separated. I hoped that Rick would wear it even if it seemed a little girly. The other necklaces were plain, thin, gold and silver chains. The gold necklace had a tiny star pendant. I wore the shorter chain along with the longer silver locket.

No nail polish in sight. I suppose it wouldn't really be practical to have it in the long run. I could live without it.

She seemed like an all around _boring_ person. Mostly neutrals, no earrings, only three necklaces, and no other jewelry accept her wedding ring and engagement ring. She didn't have a diary, and really seemed like a blank character. If I hadn't seen her memories, I would probably be really suspicious.

She had a Nokia phone; the perfect bullet proof phone. I would probably upgrade as the years passed by, but it wouldn't hurt to fiddle with the tech here until I got another working magic powered something or other to work. I've done it once, so I should be able to do it again.

I didn't really bother with asking about Rick's things, since it seemed like he liked everything he owned.

I hadn't done any more illegal magic since the hospital. The only real law that I knew how to break besides permanently conjuring money would be how to Obliviate someone. I really couldn't use Legilimency, or Occlumency.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

I found out soon in the middle of the month that I was wrong. I was wrong in the sense that, this would also be a vomitastisc pregnancy this month just like the last. I could hardly keep anything down, but I wasn't certainly wasn't getting severely dehydrated. At least I could sort of keep water and crackers down.

I also realized that Lori had handled all their finances, which I found was a little weird. I didn't question it though, since it seemed that any sort of familiarity brought Rick some satisfaction. Mind you, I'm not gonna just do it all on my own. I'll just have to figure out how to get Rick to agree to equal partnership rather than this whole I think you should be barefoot and pregnant thing.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

I did something shady near the end of this month. I hadn't done anything magically illegal since my stint at the hospital, as you would know. And as a housewife, I didn't contribute any kind of income. My family back in my dimension would be appalled.

So because it was my husband's birthday in two months, I started to plot. I managed to convince Rick that I my parents had left me an inheritance that only came to be processed since I was pregnant. I conjured up the legal looking forms that stated I had an inheritance for about a million dollars.

He did manage to believe me about the inheritance, and I may have confounded him a little when he was reading it, but the million dollars still gave him a shock. He insisted that it should just be an emergency fund and a college fund for our children once he was convinced though. I could just conjure up more money later.

Did I mention one of the many fights that the Lori had with Rick was about the number of children they wanted? The original only wanted one and Rick wanted as many as they could get away with financially. I wanted a large family too, but with knowing what I know...Would I be selfish enough to bring more lives into a world that would only break apart into so many pieces?

That and how she wanted to focus more on her career. What kind of career she could've had, I wasn't too sure, but it was something a lot of women still had to think about in the future. I think she just had different priorities than Rick. I would never doubt how much that woman loved Rick from the start though, all faults aside.

Being a housewife suited me just fine for now, although I definitely noticed how Rick found it odd that I wanted to work once our child was born. I suppose I could make this work. Magic was on my side after all.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

During the second month of my pregnancy, I finally considered that this baby was mine. I could feel its life force in me, which made me think that maybe my baby would be magic. Could that happen? Was my DNA changed throughout this ordeal? What did that make me? I still couldn't keep anything down.

On the up side, Rick and I had an important conversation that I couldn't stop replaying in my mind. He was twitchy when we had it, and I could tell that he thought that I might start yelling. I hadn't yelled at him at all since "I woke up", and it kind of freaked him the fruitcake out. I was apparently much nicer to him and when I finally got the guy to open up about it I was happily surprised. _Well…here's a flash back:_

_"Rick? I know you're clamming up on me. I can practically feel the distance. What's wrong?" For some reason I got the feeling that Lori never told him this because he just straight up looks surprised._

_"Ever since you woke up, you've been so different…Laura, it's not that I don't love the change, but I feel bad that I do. We certainly talk more, and fight less. I just…I'm just tryin' to cope, darlin'." Rick certainly looked frustrated._

_"Maybe this change is a good thing, right?" I was really hoping that this conversation would end soon. It was getting uncomfortable._

_"Maybe…" Rick gave me another one of his tight warm hugs, which led to us making out. Again. I certainly couldn't complain too much. I just had to get used to it at some point._

That conversation was a pivoting point for our budding relationship. He was already so god damn nice to me at the beginning, but now he was down right loving. The adoration was a little weird. He always gave me back rubs, foot rubs, never called me fat, basically bending to my every whim and need at the moment.

All that was great stuff, but he never let me leave our property. I think it was a combination of being pregnant, and "surviving" my accident. Rick was still convinced that I was going to get hit by lighting again. I wondered if he acted similarly to Lori when she was pregnant. If he had, then well...I already don't have a great opinion of her to begin with. She needed more depth or I needed more insight.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

Later on in the middle of the month, I convinced Rick that I really wanted to garden in the future, so he built me a shed. It was a lovely shed, with a bright teal roof and yellow walls. He was certainly getting to know me. I did lie to him somewhat though. I would garden in the future, and there would be some supplies here. However, I was going to mainly use this shed to concoct potions that we might need in the on coming nightmare.

I started brewing after the shed was built. I made new potions every day after finishing the house work and conjuring things for the apocalypse go bags I was creating. I made sure each go bag had a Feather Weight charm on it and I stored it all in the pantry with a notice-me-not charm on them. They also had an extendable charm on each bag.

I conjured up medical equipment that I knew would exist up until 2012 at least. I couldn't do anything past that...I didn't ever want to explain my time warp dimensional past if I could help it. It was the only secret that I wanted to hide till my dying day. Besides, I would already have trouble explaining how I had magic, and that alone would be enough trouble.

I brewed bone re-growth potions, pepper up potions, healing salves, and the like. I could only really make healing potions, but I think that's all we would really need in the future. It's not like I could find any other potion recipes in this dimension anyway. I used a bubble head charm every time I brewed, I couldn't leave it to chance since I was with child. Who knows what kind of brain damage all those fumes could cause.

The one "chore" I would've preferred doing was grocery shopping, but I never got to do it on my own. I was always chaperoned by my husband on the weekend to go grocery shopping, but beggars can't be choosers. I love how close we're getting, but I really want some independence and freedom.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

After two months of Rick trying to get Shane to come for dinner again, he gave up when Shane kept saying no. It seemed like they were really getting close still despite not really hanging out after work from my knowledge. However, he was also close to Lambert. _Him,_ I actually saw since he did come to dinner now and then. He reminded me of a younger George Weasley.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

We were still working on a compromise that gave me some freedom by the end of the month. Just doing chores, depending on dial up internet, and cable TV didn't really stimulate my brain.

YouTube wasn't that popular yet, and all the shows and cartoons that I had loved weren't here yet. Besides that, the video games here were great classics, certainly, but they weren't the games that I had fallen in love with as a child or as an adult. Sure we had a crap ton of books lining the bookshelves, now, but they didn't really give me as much satisfaction as doing something outside. I didn't have that many options since it was only the year 2000.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

During the third month of my pregnancy, I finally managed to keep food down and he was less skittish around me. In fact, he started groping me, which was all sorts of awkward. Pat on the butt, a squeezed boob here and there, and I _tried_ to do the same, but it was still weird.

I've gotten him to hold off of on sex after we both found out that I had a weird flower burst and lightning bolt scar across my back. We went back to the doctor, and he stated that it was a side effect of being struck by lightning. I thought it was just ironic that the lightning bolt that should've been on the rual array was on my back. Go figure.

I managed to make him go slow, so it was kind of like we were dating "again". I think he got the same vibe too, but he didn't seem to mind. When I asked him about it, he stated that he was getting to fall in love with me all over again. What's a dimensionally and time warped woman to do, but go along with that. I was always a sucker for romantics.

We had another date night, except this one was less awkward. It was a picnic and we talked and talked until the sun set. I got to eat ice cream, stuff with lots of salt, and everything else that had made me gag. I missed burgers and fries. Mmmm…McDonalds...

I also managed to convince Rick that I wouldn't suddenly combust if I were to step out of our property alone. I enjoyed grocery shopping _alone_, plus this way I got to deposit more money into our joint account and get anything that I couldn't conjure for our go bags. I could only really conjure things that I already knew about, which was good enough for now.

Besides that, I was actively trying to find friends, but being so friendly creeped some people out.

I crossed out our neighbors. I heard the lady, Mrs. Something call me a witch. I swear she probably saw me change the color of the door or something. Otherwise, she was just a lady that clearly didn't like me. No real luck making friends here so far. Maybe it was this town and a combination of Lori's personality?

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

Near the end of this month I surprised my husband on his birthday; the 29th of March. He had a later shift this day so he could sleep in. The police station wouldn't even give him a off day on his birthday. I realized that the only days he got off were statutory holidays, and the weekends.

In the morning I served him breakfast in bed, and later when he came home I presented him with a double fudge chocolate cake with sparklers on it instead of candles. I was saving the candles for doomsday. I presented him with the locket half that had my picture in it with runic protection symbols carved on the surface. I had also charmed it to act kind of like a walkie talkie. I had the exact same one with his picture in mine with the exact same charms and runes. He took it happily and stated that he loved it. I had never seen a man so happy to put on a heart locket necklace before.

We also reached third base through out the night as his last birthday surprise. Apparently Lori didn't like foreplay so this seemed like a big treat for Rick.

He wouldn't stop smiling the next day. I think I may love this man.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

During the fourth month of my pregnancy, I had to get new clothes and I used that as an excuse to get clothes and accessories that more suited my personality. When I was shopping for my new clothes I mostly stuck to thrift stores. It made Rick a little uncomfortable. I think he might have not liked the stigma it came with. If the Thrift Shop song ever became popular here that would change his tune.

During my shopping spree I did keep in mind to get sturdy articles of clothing that would work in the plague torn future that I dreaded. There was certainly color in everything I bought; bright pinks, blues, yellows, greens, and etc. that I would wear pre-apocalypse and post-apocalypse. I now had flirty maternity dresses, baseball three quarter sleeved shirts, super soft warm sweaters, a big warm fleece coat in a dark teal, sturdy combat boots that fit my swollen feet, colorful runners, and super soft blank jewel toned t-shirts that I would personalize along with everything else. And everything was a v-neck, I loved all of it.

I made sure to conjure up a bunch of winter accessories that I duplicated and stored away in my go bag. I now had a black chunky knit wool infinity scarf with a matching tuque with yellow fingerless gloves.

I got sunglasses for me and Rick, some silver rings; which I planned to charm later on, and another chain for another project I was working on. I even got a Polaroid camera that I tinkered with. I carved in a power rune and charmed the film to never run out. It was my best creation in the future. At least something from my crazy past was helpful for the here and now.

Yoga pants and skinny jeans weren't that big here, so I just conjured three pairs of them. The yoga pants were all black and from Lulu Lemon, and I had a dark green pair, a dark blue pair, and a dark red pair of skinny jeans all from Guess. You could take the woman out of Vancouver, but you couldn't take the Vancouver out of the woman.

Wasting magic on things that were easily attainable didn't make much sense, but I did enjoy conjuring things without any restrictions. I certainly wouldn't get in trouble for conjuring brand name items in this dimension, but I still had to be mindful to avoid magical exhaustion.

I also made sure to conjure Rick up some sturdy combat boots. I would keep them hidden away in his go bag. I started storing food and other survival items that I managed to scourge up from the stores in town. I made sure to put stasis charms on the food, moldy ten year old food wouldn't be helpful in the future. I was able to get a look at the knives, bows, guns, at the different hunting shops. As long as I got a good look at them and an explanation about the different parts then I could conjure them for later too.

I got a hair cut, a really nice pixie cut that compliments my features if I do say so myself. I plan on keeping my length at the max to the top of my shoulders. It wouldn't do for a walker to just grab my hair and make me a meal to go. It really surprised Rick, but when he asked me why, I told him the truth. I felt like I needed a change, and my hair felt heavy.

I insisted on getting my ears pierced and my right nostril pierced. It was definitely one of our few arguments, but I managed to swing Rick onto my side when I assured him that I wouldn't get an infection or harm the baby in any way.

I told him that I would get it at the hospital, and he believed me. I know it was _wrong_ to break his trust this way, but it was the only way I could do it magically. Doing it magically meant that it didn't hurt, was already healed and I could do whatever the hell I wanted to do with it. That was one of the best things of combined muggle and magic advances. The little things were just so much easier to do.

I suppose it would be a hell of a lot less on my mind and nerves if I just told Rick the truth about my magic...but I really can't think of how he might react. I certainly don't want him to reject me...Ugh...I don't want to think about it.

On a brighter note, I managed to conjure up my favorite diamond studs, tiny turquoise star earrings, and a gold chevron ear cuff along with a very small aquamarine stud for my right nostril. I was feeling more and more like me every day. I was finally starting to feel comfortable in my new life and new skin.

Rick and I were getting much more _acquainted_, if you know what I mean. I didn't know how much I missed having a partner in the physical sense, until I actually had one again. This worries me greatly.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

During the fifth month of my pregnancy, we were like a well oiled machine in comparison to the Lori and Rick couple of the show. If anything we reminded me of Ted and his wife from How I Met Your Mother, but only to a smaller degree.

I certainly couldn't paint or draw the interesting things that she did. I usually just used magic to personalize my stuff. The best I could do manually were stick figures, and even that was sketchy. Sketchy. Get it? Besides that, Rick could care less about architecture, which was a shame since it would help later down the road.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

While I went grocery shopping later that month I decided I need a change of pace, I was getting ribs this week. This decision led to me accidentally bumping carts with a very familiar black woman.

It turned out the lady I bumped into was none other than Jenny Jones. Her husband was out working late too and she _also_ decided to go grocery shopping without him. We bonded over our pregnant bellies; me at five months, and her at three, our over worked husbands, and not once did I pay any mind to the racists that looked at me like I was crazy. Some people were just bitches, plain and simple.

I got to know her some more and finally made a new friend, and it was a huge bonus that I knew her from the Walking Dead show. We instantly clicked after a few more girls' days out. I found out that she was a kindergarten teacher, and loved the opera. It was nice having another companion that was female. We even roped in our husbands into becoming friends.

I had to protect her, but I didn't know how. If I could just get her to wear one of the necklaces with some of my protection charms and runes...I could totally pull it off. I needed to start finishing up some of them. I wondered how I could protect Morgan too. It would be too weird to just ask him to wear a necklace. The man didn't look like he liked anything around his neck. Hmm…

Morgan and Rick hit it off right away. They had a lot in common if you didn't look at their job occupations. It made me worry less about the Shane problem, but you never know with crazy people.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

By the sixth month, I had a very large baby bump. We got to feel the baby kick, and I got to feel the little guy treat my womb like a bounce house. I had to constantly keep peeing for a while there.

"Miracle baby" is what Rick's been calling him. I can't convince him that the baby's a boy. He refuses to check with the doctor, although I knew before hand that it was probably going to be a boy if I was right about this universe. We ended up squabbling over names. I'd say squabbling because we disagreed on names, but we ended up laughing at the end. We decided if it was a boy, which I know it will be; we'd name it Carl. If it was a girl, we'd name it Mabel.

We were still undecided about who the god parents would be. He still wanted Shane to be our child's godparent, but I would've rather had Morgan. It made more sense, should anything happen to us, we already knew that they would want another child.

I didn't even know Shane, although he kept pointing out that part wasn't his fault. I countered saying, that neither of us was to blame since Shane didn't really come near me. I then mentioned how he made my tummy hurt. I don't think Rick is getting my point. Maybe I have to be less subtle.

I had a feeling Rick _knew_ I didn't like Shane all that much. He kept insisting that Shane was a good cop though. However, being a good cop doesn't always mean that you're a great person. It was one of our few arguments in our marriage.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

Rick was my favorite on the show, but when I really got to know the guy I liked him even more. And after six months of living with the man, sharing his bed, taking care of him, and having him take care of me, I knew that I loved him and I would fight the on coming storm tooth and nail in order to not loose him.

When I finally said I loved him last night, he looked overjoyed. I think he might have been worried about that. I reassured him through my words and body that I really did love him.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

After the next two months I was ready to give up. I was _so_ big and _so_ sore, and god damn every time I sneezed or hiccuped I kept wetting myself! Suuure...the first couple times Rick found it hilarious that I peed when he tickled me. Now it just _pissed_ me off.

I was horny as fuck and Rick was too scared that he might make me go into labor if we copulated, so I was even crankier.

And at nine months I was ready to just burst. The only good news that I found was that Rick got me an iPod that came out early; Shane was on a vacation far _far_ away, I would be giving birth soon, and Jenny knew how I felt. I would totally transfigure the first version of the iPod my husband gave me into my favorite apple version later...after I push this god damn baby out of me.

llllllllllllllllllllllllll

The afternoon light streamed through the bay window warming up the entire room. The dream catcher swayed against the breeze that languidly floated in through the portion of the window that was open.

I was just sitting in the new rocking chair I conjured for the baby room. Rick had gone and bought new baby furniture, _without me_, with Morgan as a big surprise, but they didn't get a rocking chair. I mean, I appreciated how the crib was white, the dresser was orange, the changing table was green, and how everything else just contrasted well. For two men that really hated shopping, they did fabulously. I just really wanted a rocking chair.

Jenny and I had shopped together for all the other baby essentials, so we were both good there. I kept using conjured up money, so I could pay for both of us. She seemed really embarrassed at first. However, through "Jenny logic" she made it so that every girl's day out was on her if I kept spending so much money on her. It really didn't matter to me since I think my moral compass got a little screwed up without any laws holding me back. I mean I wasn't going to go on a killing rampage or anything, but conjuring up what I knew was pretty easy. Plus this way Rick and I only had two more years to go before we finished paying off our mortgage.

I told Jenny about how I was magic. At first she thought I had pregnant brain still, but then I transfigured the tea pot into a badger and back again and that made her shut the hell up. That was a month ago. I think I burst into tears after that, but we were both good. She said I should tell Rick, and that God didn't bless everyone the way that he did with me.

That was also the day that I gave her a protection necklace, much like the one that I wore. If a zombie were to try to bite her, its head would just blow up. I loved those combinations of runes. It certainly did well against inferi.

"I know that I have to tell Rick that I have magic soon. I am _so_ **tired** of sneaking and lying to him, but I'm terrified that I might drive him away with that knowledge though. One of my sisters went through that. Dude just straight up left her pregnant ass." I reached for one of the cookies that sat on a plate between us. They were double caramel chocolate cookies.

I sat with Jenny, who at seven months still managed to sit comfortably on the window seat in the baby room.

She went and began to pat my shoulder, "You know, you should just tell him, honey. I've seen how he looks at you like the sun shines outta your ass. I doubt having magic would change that. And from what I've seen from all our double date nights together, he's not the witch burning type any way." Having said her piece she wriggled out of the window seat and heaved herself onto her feet, "I have to-"

I cut her off by grabbing her arm. I looked at her with an utterly surprised look on my face, "I think I either really peed myself, or my water just broke." We both looked down and found that yep, that was indeed my water breaking.

Comically we both looked at each other, I was tempted to laugh at the situation, but I let out a groan instead, "Damn it, that smarts."

"Better watch your mouth now, Mrs. Soon to be Mom, or your little one will start cursing like a sailor." She smiled at me while she attempted to get the both of us out of the door. We waddled like penguins towards our destination. "Now make sure to plug your ears, honey."

Nodding my head at her request, I plugged my ears, curious to see what my BFF would do.

"RIIIIIICCCKK! MORGAAAAN! GET YO ASSES UP IN HERE! LAURA'S HAVING THE BABAY!" She was certainly loud when she wanted to be, I was more than doubly glad that there weren't any walkers yet...otherwise we would've been dead meat.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Soon enough I was whisked away to the hospital, where I met a beat up looking Carol for a brief moment holding what looked like to be a two month old baby girl. I would have to find her again later.

It took nine hours for one Carl Theodore Grimes to be born into the world. I ended up doped up on a whole lot of lovely drugs, so it wasn't so bad. Epidurals are great people. The doctor and nurses that helped me were great. I'm glad that Rick didn't look at my vaj during the entire thing. I was also glad I managed to dissuade him from video taping the ordeal. I didn't want to scar Carl if he were to find the video.

Carl was born on October 28th 2000 exactly at 11pm; little guy was just as stubborn as his mama. I know that this is my family now. I am Laura Grimes. Rick Grimes is my husband, the love of my life, and this little boy is now apart of my family too. I would make sure that they survived.

lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

While everyone was gone, and Rick and I were alone with our bundle of joy I gathered up what little courage I had.

"I'm magic" I stated glancing up at my husband. I didn't want him to reject me, and I certainly didn't want to loose him. The only way I wanted to loose him was though death. The Pines Family motto was; family always and love like vowel rats.

"I think we both are. We created a miracle, sweet pea." He grinned down at the two of us watching as I breast fed our son. He bent down and kissed my neck.

"Yeah, we did create a great miracle, sweetie...but I mean look." I took the cup of water nearby and transfigured it into a rabbit. And just for shits and giggles I levitated the poor confused creature before changing back into a cup of water.

Rick was really quiet for a good ten minutes, before he let out a sigh, "Damn. Why didn't you tell me sooner?" He collected the two of us in his arms. "Laura?"

I couldn't reply. I was so choked up. Staring up at him with water eyes, while our son continued to greedily drink milk, little guy seemed to be starving, I whispered, "I was scared that you would leave me..."

"I'd never leave you Laura Grimes. I love you."

"I love you too Rick Grimes."

"Any more secrets?" He chuckled and gave me a wet kiss. Our son pushed away my breast, the excess milk leaking down against his cheek. He seemed satisfied with life.

"Nah. That was my big secret." Now I knew that he knew that I had a bad poker face, but in reality I had a pretty good mask. I had to working as an unspeakable. On one hand, I was glad he looked relieved, but on the other hand I wanted him to know that I was lying. It was just so complicated.

"Good. Now about this magic business..."

And so we talked well into the night, and with a well placed mundane repelling charm at the door we were left to our own devices. This was the start of my little family; the start of my new chance at life.

lllllllllllllllllllllllll

To be continued...

llllllllllllllllllllllll


	5. Chapter 5

**Hiraeth**

Noun - homesickness tinged with grief or sadness over a lost home that can never be returned to.

**Story Premise:**

Persephone Pines former muggleborn Hufflepuff unspeakable tossed into the walking dead dimension after a botched up portal take down at work. This is an alternate universe Walking Dead.

This story is rated M for future scenes and vulgarity. You have been warned.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Be warned, this is an alternate universe story so things will be different at times. This is not a happy rainbows and pink kitten fluff story. It may be a dark at times. If that's not what you wanted, there are many other great stories to pursue out there.

Reviews mean that I keep going and update sooner. Flames are not appreciated or welcomed. Remember what Thumper the rabbit said in the movie Bambi. If you have nothing nice to say, then don't say it. If you have constructive criticism, go ahead and give it, that's always welcomed.  
_  
__iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_ before a paragraph means that the diary entries continue

**Thank you to the lovely reviewer Abbii.** There will be more action in the next chapter, and we'll be seeing Carol again in this chapter. As for the Caryl question, maybe since no one else has asked for any other couple. :P

Thank you to the following people who put this story on their favorites list and/or followed my story:  
**  
****Lifeasweknowit14, frannybean94, Skuld Odinsdotter, VictoriaEther95**

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

**Chapter Five**

**Time Warp Five Years: 2005**

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

So Diary,

Long time no write, get it? I know bad puns…so many bad puns. Carl's gonna turn five this year and go to kindergarten...Oh how time flies by.

That's just in a month now. I remembered when he was just toddling, and now he's going off to school. I wanna keep him "innocent" for as long as I can, at least to a reasonable degree. He has already been taught how to shoot a squirrel. I just don't want him shooting people or anything walker-like yet.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

January was exciting for a couple reasons. One reason was because I was right about the whole DNA thing. Carl had magic too, but it's only happened when he got scared. That was how his first burst of accidentally magic happened.

There was a bad thunderstorm that rolled on through all of Georgia. There were power outages everywhere, expect at our house because of all my charm work. We didn't want any odd questions to arise so we just shut all our curtains and turned off all our lights. Even though he was fast asleep when I put him to bed, I think just the action of turning everything off and the thunder scared him.

He managed to escape out of his early in the morning, at about three am. _Flashback: _

_I cuddled with Rick nuzzling into his chest while he tightened his hug and kept snoring away. A flash of lightning streaked across the inky indigo sky and before the thunder could clap, the door slammed open._

_I jerked up, but couldn't get out of my husband's grasp to take a closer look at whom, or what was in our doorway. I didn't have to wait long to find out though because as soon as the thunder boomed something or someone jumped into our bed. It turned out to be a shivering, scared, and now crying Carl. I pinched my husband's clavicle, which always ensured that he woke up. Grumpily looking down at me and our squirming toddler who was still trying to squeeze in between us, he sighed._

_I shifted our fluffy down covers and helped our son up, "Sweetheart what's wrong?"_

_"Dawk" Carl muttered hiccuping and burying his head into my chest, "My hands bwinked and went dawk when thewe was-" Thunder boomed again, making my little toddler wail._

_Rick kissed Carl's head, "There's nothing to be scared of little one."_

_"Well keep you safe, sweetie." I kissed the other side of my son's head._

_Rick tightened his arms around us, "We certainly will."_

_With us both holding him, and a silent Silencio around the room, Carl's wails died dow into whimpers before his breathing began to even out. We all soon drifted back to sleep._

I think that the first thing that I'll teach Carl in the world of magic would probably be Lumos.

The other reason was because I officially met Carol in the middle of this month!_ Flashback:_

_Rick was out with Morgan today and Jenny was at home with the flu so I had both little boys with me tugging at my arms to hurry up so we could go to the park playground. _

_It was a warm Saturday afternoon and oddly enough there weren't a lot of kids or parents at the park today. The trees swayed in the breeze, sunshine filtered through the swishing leaves, and the air smelled like sweet grass. _

_I couldn't stop the grin from spreading across my face, dimpling my cheeks. I was wearing my favorite zip up fuchsia hoodie, a black shirt with a Hufflepuff emblem, and dark teal skinny jeans, with my navy sneakers. Yes, it was more of a color pallet from my time. I did get odd looks form people, but I was already used to that. Let them bitches judge, cuz ain't nobody got time for that. _

_The few children that were there looked like they were playing grounders, but one little girl caught my eye. She looked like Sophia. I kept my eye out for Carol. I hadn't seen her since I was at the hospital to give birth to Carl._

_When we made it to the playground the boys squirmed away from me yelling in glee and jumping around sprinting for the slide. "Duane! Carl! You play nice, ya' here!" The boys laughed loudly and waved back at me from the top of the slide. I saw Sophia heading up the slide as well. I hoped the boys would try to behave. For two four year olds, they were pretty rough and tumble. _

_I sat down on one of the weathered down benches near the playground and watched as the oak trees provided shade for the other parents that sat down to watch their kids play. There were even some families off to the side having picnics. It was a lovely park. I closed my eyes for a moment relishing how nice the day felt. _

_I felt someone sit beside me, it was probably because all the benches were occupied, since a lot of parents didn't like my multiple piercings, how I was best friends with Jenny, and my odd clothing choices. Not to mention how I didn't fit into their mold of the perfect little house wife. People here were definitely different on their views in comparison to from where and when I came from before._

_I opened my eyes and glanced at the person beside me, and low and behold; it was Carol. Some of the parents would look at her with pity or disdain. I think Carol knew it too because she flinched just slightly before looking back at her daughter. _

_I could see the bruises that she tried to hide on her face with make up. The hand prints on her throat weren't that well hidden with her makeup either. _

"_Hey." I tried to be as casual as possible. _

"_Hi." Carol tried her best to smile, but she ended up grimacing instead. I think the bruises were very recent. _

"_You okay?" I didn't pity her, but I did feel that she deserved better. No one deserved spousal abuse, any abuse really. _

_I think that maybe she had reached her breaking point in this universe because when I asked that question she burst into broken sobs with tears rushing down her face. And that certainly made our onlookers turn away, little cowards that they were. _

_I scooted closer to her and gave her a hug. She flinched at the contact. It wasn't that big of a town, and everyone knew who her husband was and what he did to her. No one wanted to interfere and a lot of people didn't feel like it was their place. I bothered Rick about it constantly, but he said since no one made a police complaint they really couldn't do anything. It really burned him that they couldn't do anything though. We both hated wife beaters. _

"_Ed tried to __**rape**__ Sophia, so I tried to stop him. He turned on me instead." Carol whispered hiding her face in her hands. _

_I knew that Ed was scum, but now I knew he wasn't even fit to be called that. _

"_Did you want Rick to take him in, Carol? These are real charges…We can help." I gave her a tighter hug while she buried her face on my shoulder quietly crying. The boys saw that someone was amiss so they were running over with Sophia in tow. I waved at them and mouthed that we were fine. They didn't seem to believe me, but they did stop heading over. Instead they played in the sand box near the bend we were sitting on. _

_We might not have known each other very well, but everyone knew who Rick and I were. He was the police Sheriff in this town and I was his wife. He was one of the few cops that didn't look at the color of your skin or where you came from. A lot of people liked him, which made it safe for me to be me. I think he knew that too. _

"_Oh Laura…I just want him to go away…but I can't divorce him. Everything's under his name. Sophia and I would be homeless and penniless. He never let me have a job. My parents are gone, both of us were only children and I don't have any real friends because he always scared them off. But after all he's done…__**this has crossed the line.**__" She sounded so tired and defeated. Her tears had subsided, but the overall shroud of sadness that emanated from her didn't lift. _

"_I could be your friend, Carol." I started patting her shoulder since she had moved back to lean down on my shoulder. _

_At this point Carol sighed sadly, "Ed would end up threatening you just like everyone else, Laura." _

"_What if I could make him sign the divorce papers, and make him go away?" I whispered. I totally knew I could do it too. A little Imperio and everything would be okay. _

_Carl let a sad little smile cross her face, "Then the rumors about you being magic would be true." _

_I grinned, my prominent dimples appeared, and let out a snort. Carl looked up at me tilting his head to the side, "I'm alright sweetie!" I turned back to Carol, "I think this'll be the start of a wonderful friendship."_

_Carol looked hopeful, and laughed for probably the first time in a very long time._

I was going to totally Imperio the bastard and make him move to god damn Reykjavik, and that's after I Obliviate him to mush. I wouldn't kill him, but only because Rick would be disappointed in me. I personally wanted to _**kill**_ the wife beating incestuous child rapist.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii__  
_

By February our house was paid off, albeit through my _shady_ magical means. This also meant I didn't have to declare all my "extra income" on my tax returns. I don't think Rick minded though. Having no mortgage to worry about really reduced his stress. It made working for him more like something that he loved than something that he had to do to keep us alive. I think my moral compass, at least magically, has become _totally_ corrupt.

I finally figured out how to make portkeys and how to mix mundane tech with magic. It only took me another five years to figure how to do it here. I had taken my old 2000's Nokia phone and transfigured it into my old Samsung Galaxy lite 5.0 from 2020. Mind you, I had to put a confundus charm around it as a safety feature for now. I didn't want anyone asking any questions.

I continued playing with the idea of conjuring things from my past, things that I know would undoubtedly help my family. There were also things that I really missed, like my cartoons and shows. Since USBs had started coming out in the last couple years I figured out that I could transfer copies of the shows that I watched onto an expanded charmed USB. Then it would just take some figuring out for me on how it could be projected into a television. I would really have to think and tinker with that idea. I already had an inkling about the water powered cars in 2020, and how I could transfigure our SUV's internal system into one. I would really have to bring up the future thing with Rick though. I'm afraid he'll be disappointed that I lied, disappointed that I had hid something as big as this.

Later on, at the end of February, I managed to obtain Morgan's wedding ring. I needed it so I could carve some protection runes and charm it so that they'd be safe. I owe Jenny for distracting her husband for a couple hours. She hated watching CNN with him.

I had more practice carving runic arrays, and I added even more charms to this house. At this point I could probably shrink the whole god damn thing, with it being perfectly fine, and take it with me...I'd probably want to make it so that I could do that from far away and then somehow pick it up, just in case. I really loved our home. I really wished we had a garage though. Oh well. I suppose our drive way was enough…for now.

Oh! I think I forgot to mention that I was Duane's godmother, so he always has to wear this slim silver chain with tiny runes and charms interlaced in between the chains. It was his Christening gift from me and Rick. Morgan doesn't know I'm magic still, but I think he suspects something. Those god damn rumor mongers don't help.

Jenny and I have continued to hang out all most all the time throughout these many years and I actually told her about the whole weird dimension thing. She's really religious, and just said that it was my new chance to live, and that whatever happened before made me into the woman that I was now. If she only knew what was ahead of us. Plus she got along great with Carol!

I really did Imperio Ed to sign Carol's divorce papers, Oblivated all memories of this place, Carol, and his depraved actions, and made him move to Reykjavik. Rick said it wasn't right to make people do things with that spell, I didn't tell him about the Obliviation part, but he was glad that I removed Ed from our community. I also told and demonstrated to Carol that I was magic, and she was surprisingly accepting. I think it's because I saved her from her monster of an ex-husband.

I managed to get her to spill the beans on her childhood dream; she wanted to be a baker. Because I managed to make it so that they kept their house, they only lost the income Ed was bringing in. Since I was the one who put her in the penniless bracket, I helped conjure them up enough money to buy up the bakery that was going out of business. That was the start of the woman I knew from the show, the woman that wouldn't take any shit from anyone. She was going to be _great_.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii__  
_

Rick and Morgan still worked a lot, but we all still spend plenty of time together. Date nights, camping at the quarry camp ground, play dates with our kids. Carl and Morgan played together well enough, and I always made sure that they had their necklaces on at all times. I may be labeled as the weird paranoid parent now, but it'll keep them safe.

We had date nights that sometimes had shooting ranges in mind. Rick loved that, and I got to learn how to shoot. Rick also taught our toddler how to shoot too, but it was with a sling shot. We did have to go and give him a lecture about not using it as a toy though. Mrs. Jackson next door definitely doesn't like us after Carl shot her cat off her stupid tree.

I believe Morgan and Rick are best friends now, especially since they have their own "guy bonding time" every other weekend. I suspect he's taking Morgan to the shooting range as well. They always smelled like gun powder after their days out together. Sometimes they go bowling though. Jenny said it's to burn off their "manly testosterone". I just think their handling stress that would otherwise eat at them.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii__  
_

I found out that I was pregnant the day after Rick's birthday. He was so happy, and while although I was happy; I was terrified too. I'm pretty sure it's a girl, and I'm going to persuade my husband to swing towards my name preferences this time. The name Judith Mabel Grimes sounds good, right? I found it incredibly amusing that I was going to get to name our daughter Judith.

Plus I totally want Carol to be the godmother. Rick wants Shane to be the godfather since Carol was single. I did bring up how great Lambert was though, which Rick did take into consideration. I didn't want to associate with Shane if I didn't have to, and having him ironically be our daughter's godfather would piss me the hell off.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii__  
_

I prepared another go bag for the new additions to our lives. Jenny, Carol and I were so excited about getting new baby girl clothes and outfitting one of the spare rooms into my daughter's room. Rick kept saying that it could be a boy though, but I think that he was just scared about having a daughter. Thinking of the dangers up ahead, I could see why having a daughter might be terrifying. If anyone tries to _**rape**_ my children, I'm going to _**Reducto**_ them so hard that they'll resemble strawberry jam wiped up by a paper towel more than the god damn human trash that they were.

I bought sweet little jumpers, corduroy pants, funny shirts, adorable jackets, and I made sure that all of them were quality fabrics. I also conjured up little leather jackets, baby leggings, and all the cute girly things I had wanted for my first little girl. I think this gave me a sense of closure.

Sophia saw that I was going to have a baby girl, and offered me her favorite squishy lamb toy for the baby. I never got to know the girl from the show and I didn't quite like her character from the comics, but the Sophia that I knew now was a total and utter sweetheart.

Just like with Carl's things, I charmed them to grow with my child, change colors at a spark of them tracing the charm at the back, and a bevy of other things. The most important thing I found while conjuring, charming, and stitching runes into all of my daughter's things was that I needed to make her earrings. Earrings that would have the same protection runes that I had carved into the jewelry my loved ones wore. I hoped Rick would be alright with our daughter have pierced ears at such a young age.

He was still old fashioned to a degree, but he's gotten used to my overall quirks. I know he would prefer it if I just stayed at home as a _regular_ housewife sometimes, but where would the fun in that be?

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii__  
_

Rick thought that I was crazy for believing that the world would end in 2012 at first, but _now_ he's just being supportive. I think he thought it would aggravate my pregnancy if we squabbled about it. I managed to convince him to start stock piling things in our enchanted pantry. He said that our stuff might rot, but I reminded him that I had finally worked out an everlasting stasis charm. He wanted to know if anything we hunted could be saved too. He's certainly adapted well to having a witch for a wife. God I loved that man.

We, just the three of us, started going camping, fishing and hunting a couple years back before we started bringing the Jones along. That was how we found a secluded campsite near the quarry that always had plenty of room for us to do whatever the hell we wanted. It was a good bonding activity for both of us. Besides that, it was the same quarry that everyone gathered at. It sometimes made me guilty at how deep my schemes went in protecting my family's future. Did that make me a horrible person?

I kept up my gardening at home and at the quarry. During that time I managed to teach my husband and son about what could and couldn't be grown and eaten in the wild. It was something we could practice identifying during our camping trips.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

There was no 9/11 in this dimension, so the government focused on more experimental avenues instead of defense. Zombie movies and survival guides weren't as popular in this dimension. Sure there were the normal zombie paraphernalia and survival guides, but it didn't become a huge trend like it did in my previous dimension. There was no zombie plan for the apocalypse in this dimension for their government, which I found was hilarious considering the future in front of everyone.

Basically there was less war, better medical advancements, and much more experimentation on the news; someone always kept trying to figure out how to length human life spans' further. It just spelt all sorts of trouble for the rest of us.

YouTube started gaining popularity, as did the internet, Google, yahoo, and etc. However, I find that having everything grow and change only made me miss the future technology I grew up with more. Sure I could conjure it up in the here and the now, but how would I explain that to Rick? It was an ongoing question that ran through my head as the months passed by on my second pregnancy.

Gaming companies were releasing better tech and better games, but I find that I'm much more interested in doing things in the real world this time around. I couldn't dedicate a bunch of my time to something that I knew wouldn't ensure the survival of my family; the clock was starting to tick. However, I can't exactly say no to my son's whims or Rick's, they loved the portable gaming consoles; I couldn't help but spoil them.

Technology itself got better on the whole within these past five years, mind you it isn't as far along as 2020 from my dimension, but there are talks about actually flat screen TVs now. I missed smart TVs, touch screens, iPads, androids, and the like.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

I had recently talked to Rick about my deep dark secret, the whole future thing, and he was okay with that **too**, _after _I left him to his own devices for a while. I think between the two of us, he was the calmer one. I couldn't understand how he could just take it all in. Was it because I was magic? Was that the tipping point? Could nothing shake this man now? I wanted to burst into tears. I knew he saw that I felt like I had committed a great sin because of this revelation, but Rick tried to soothe me any ways. That's how we ended up here in front of a Dairy Queen.

It was another bright sunny day. The warm Georgia weather was still in effect even though it was December. I had on a soft orange v-neck three quarter sleeved peplum covered in pale pink polka dots with a heart cut out on the back, circa 2017, but no one really noticed. My maternity yoga pants stretched out comfortably over my bulging nine month old belly. Rick sat beside me with Carl sitting on his lap and both of my men and was eating soft serve ice cream dipped in chocolate, while I ate a caramel sundae.

Rick spotted Shane skulking nearby and invited him over to our table. I wouldn't let that man ruin my Sunday. I could tell that Shane was jealous. He started stalking us and he always looked a little pissed, I'm ecstatic that he didn't get to be the godfather. Morgan got to be Carl's godfather, and if I have my way again Lambert will get to be Judy's. I bet you that he's biding his time though.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

It was late into the night and I had already been in labor for twelve hours. The epidural helped greatly, but it still hurt trying to push our baby out. Rick, Carl, Jenny, Morgan, Duane, Carol and Sophia were all in the waiting room still. I think most of them would be taking the day off because I had started labor Wednesday night at around nine, game night, and now it was already nine in the morning.

Soon enough at eleven am December 15th 2005, on a Thursday, Judith Mabel Grimes came into the world.

I held her in my arms, her blue eyes staring up at me. She was beautiful; my little girl, with her dark brown little curls, and long lashes. She looked like a miniature me in my opinion. Rick totally owes me ten bucks since I was right! Ha. I'm glad I didn't have to name our child Jeffery, although I'm pretty sure his brother was great, Jeffery my previous manager still sucked.

Rick held Carl up to see his little sister, "You're a big brother now Carl."

"Awww." I laughed seeing how he stared and poked our bundle of joy.

Duane peered at the baby along with Sophia, but Sophia couldn't stop giggling. Carol and Jenny cooed over how cute she was, and Morgan couldn't help but slap Rick on the back. There were a lot of congratulations going around. I wish we could just continue life as normal, but time was running out. Doomsday was coming, and I couldn't help but feel helpless.

lllllllllllllllllllllllll

To be continued...

llllllllllllllllllllllll


	6. Chapter 6

**Hiraeth**

Noun - homesickness tinged with grief or sadness over a lost home that can never be returned to.

**Story Premise:**

Persephone Pines former muggleborn Hufflepuff unspeakable tossed into the walking dead dimension after a botched up portal take down at work. This is an alternate universe Walking Dead.

This story is rated M for future scenes and vulgarity. You have been warned.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Be warned, this is an alternate universe story so things will be different at times. This is not a happy rainbows and pink kitten fluff story. It may be a dark at times. If that's not what you wanted, there are many other great stories to pursue out there.

Reviews mean that I keep going and update sooner. Flames are not appreciated or welcomed. Remember what Thumper the rabbit said in the movie Bambi. If you have nothing nice to say, then don't say it. If you have constructive criticism, go ahead and give it, that's always welcomed.

**Thank you to the lovely lobelia for reviewing! I will be putting in the bigger on the inside tent in this chapter. Laura does love abusing magic. ;) I hope you like it. :D**

**Thank you to those that put my story on their favorites list and/or followed it: gabby521, SilverPoisons, lobelia, HarbringerLady, Mike in the Mirror, sage1992**

**You guys are beyond awesome! 262 views, 92 visitors, 10 favorites, 12 followers and 7 reviews in four days is fantabulous! Well, at least for me. I seriously wanna cry; I am that happy. COOKIES AND HUGS FOR ALL! **

**I was thinking about putting a poll on my profile page about what the outcome of the little surprise should be. If ya'll wanna participate, that will be there. Otherwise you could leave a review. **

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

**Chapter Six**

**2012 and Doomsday**

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Hi Diary,

This might be my last entry for a while….Another seven years passed since I last wrote, and it was glorious. A lot of different things happened. I got a small star tattoo on my inner wrist on my right hand. It was the Steven Universe Star.

Judy went through a mermaid phase, Carl went through a mystery hunters phase, and Rick and I had our hands full between the two of them. I transfigured Carl's bed into a proper twin from his crib turned toddler bed, and I did the same for Judy. They both loved having a mom that could change their furniture whenever they felt like it.

Rick and I agreed to transfigure the inner workings of our SUV into a water fueled SUV, and it was one of our stranger conversations. I think it was because gas prices were starting to rise down here. I could only imagine what the prices were now in comparison to Canada.

I also convinced Rick that it would be okay showing our kids, god child, and Sophia the cartoons I saw when I was growing up. That was how we got our Smart TV in the living room and one very small one in the car, both were circa 2016. If the kids had other friends over we made sure to place a slight confundus around the TVs that would dissuade anyone from asking any strange questions. We got to see our daughter and son grow up into great kids.

Carol's bakery, _Sweet Treats To Go_, was booming, Jenny was now a principle at the elementary school nearby, Morgan was doing great as one of the head engineer professors at the local college, and Rick was content being the Sheriff. Sophia and Duane were my son's best friends, and Judy was spoiled rotten by the two of them. They were all getting to be so tall.

Besides that, Lambert got promoted as a Sheriff too and was due to move to another town. He'd be staying here for another week while they moved everything in the system. Life was going so well. I knew it wouldn't last, I could just feel it.

I was also _pregnant_ **again**! Seriously, Rick and I used birth control, but I don't think it worked that _well_ because I was on the pill _when we made Judy too_. **Rick has super sperm**. For once I wasn't sure what we were going to have. Carl was eleven almost twelve, and Judy was only seven when everything went to shit...

lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

It was just the first of September when I had told Rick we were expecting again, first thing in the morning, and he was so god damn happy. He spun me round and round, Judy was chanting for a baby girl, and Carl playfully groaned, but muttered for a little boy. I couldn't wait to tell our friends and after Rick, hopefully, came home from work today; we would have a great party.

I was nervous because today was also the day when Rick was supposed to get shot in the show. I had hoped and prayed that the protections on the necklace that he always wore would be enough to stop bullets, but I didn't really know. There wasn't anyway we could test that.

lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

The afternoon sky was beautiful and the kids were sitting on the porch with me waiting for Rick to come home. Carl, Sophia, and Duane were playing Mario Smash Bros. circa 2015 on their Nintendo 3DSes and Judy was happily playing on my android phone. I think she was on a Dumb Ways To Die kick.

Carol and Jenny were inside baking up a storm, and Morgan had offered to make us all steak. It was their way of treating us before they went off to their couple's vacation for a week. Morgan was beyond excited, as was Jenny. They were hoping our baby luck would rub off on them too. They'd been trying for another child for the last seven years. Carol was happy with just Sophia, and when I had asked her if she was looking for someone she'd always reply with that warm smile of hers before winking, "I'm always looking for love. I just have to find it someday, but certainly not with you." That statement of hers always made me snort in amusement, and I'm pretty sure she knew that too. She always found my odd quirks funny instead of sweet like Jenny did.

The Sheriff squad car came driving up and I let out a breath that I hadn't known that I'd been holding. Maybe I was wrong? Maybe this place _wasn't_ the Walking Dead, and Jenny _was right_ that this was really my new chance at life this entire time? I was so God damn hopeful; my heart felt like it would burst.

I ran towards the car with the children at my heels, a grin spreading across my face dimpling my cheeks. I could hear Carl and Judy getting excited which in turn excited Duane and Sophia, their giggles were soothing. The lamp lights flickered on in the streets signaling that it was far later than I had anticipated. The cool Georgia air filled my lungs. We reached the gate to our cobbled pathway, but I didn't dare touch it. I didn't want to jinx it.

Except…Rick didn't come out, Lambert did, with his hat held in his hands, and I felt my world crumble. I think I _may_ have broken down into wailing sobs because my world felt hazy. Tears kept streaming down my face, I hadn't cried like this since my past husband and child died. I _may_ have fallen onto my knees holding onto the garden gate for dear life. Some of the neighbors stared. Let them damn well see. They've seen worse things, bastards.

Carol came running with Jenny and Morgan in tow. I think one of them held me up, but all I could see was Lambert's grim face. Their worried voices and the children's anxious cries buzzed on in the back of my mind.

"Laura-girl, the shoot out didn't go so well. There were only two assailants. We made sure because we searched the area when the rest of us converged, and we got them both, _but_…" Lambert looked like he was quietly fuming at this point.

"But _**what**_ Lambert?" I whispered with a shuddering breath, the tears kept coming. I knew it was Carol that was holding me up and rubbing circles into my back because she always smelt like fresh baked cookies. Jenny was holding the kids back with Morgan straining to hear our conversation.

"Laura, _Rick still went down_. He's in a _coma_. I thought I should tell you instead of having Dr. Subramanian making a call. I think Shane _**shot**_ him, Laura. There was no way those two could shoot anyone with anything when Leon and Rick had them down cuffed on the ground. And Shane only reappeared after Rick went down. The other guys won't say anything…I think they're wary of Shane…" Lambert shook his head, "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault Lambert…" I couldn't help but feel like I was going to choke, "I _**need**_ to see him." I should've _**killed**_ Shane when he started stalking us in the shadows. I needed to work on making my protections better, ones that would make us bullet proof.

Morgan knew about magic and the future now too so getting him on board wasn't a problem, but not Lambert. He just wore what I gave him. I hoped that I would see him again so I could make his protections stand up against bullets too. Glancing over at the kids, I saw that they were all wearing the various protection pieces of jewelry I had crafted. Judy and Sophia's earrings glinted in the lamplight and Carl and Duane's necklaces had come out of their shirts.

I stood up straighter and felt Carol's arm tighten around me. "We'll go with you, little bean." I nodded and looked over at Jenny and Morgan.

"We'll get the kids ready to go and lock up. We'll follow behind after the kids are loaded up." Morgan nodded and guided Jenny towards their car. Carol was taking over amongst the chaos, and I couldn't be more grateful.

She shuffled me towards the front of my SUV sitting me down in the front passenger seat, while Lambert lumbered back into his squad car. I had convinced Rick into transfiguring our old 2001 Honda SUV six seater into one from 2016. He certainly liked the Honda Pilot SUV better, eight seats, black leather interior, and all the new little gadgets, and I was happy our black SUV was now a cheery yellow. It ran on water and I had just filled it with the garden hose earlier that morning after watering the plants in the front yard.

The passenger doors opened and the kids piled into the car, the boys choosing the seats at the very back. I felt like my world was covered in fog when I felt Carol start up the car with a simple touch of a button. Vaguely, I could hear a Steven Universe Movie turn on in the background while we made our way to the hospital.

lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

I looked at my husband's pale face in the light of this hospital and the wound that was on his _**head**_ and_** not his chest**_. My heart felt like it was in my throat.

When Carol, Jenny, and Morgan made sure the private room was clear, I added another layer of charms and runes to make being bullet proof possible for my husband. This wouldn't happen again. The past rual array I did was off. I felt like this was _**my**_ fault.

I kissed Rick's lips, cheeks, nose, forehead, and anywhere that would be appropriate in company. I couldn't stop weeping, "The doctor said you should wake up in a month and to not worry. He was joking about coma's being a family tradition. I hope he's wrong and you wake up sooner than that. I love you…"

"He was being an _**ass**_." Carol muttered, her arms automatically crossing, a slight scowl on her face.

Jenny made a scolding sound before lightly shoving her, "Children. Carol." Carol smiled and rolled her eyes. Jenny stuck her tongue out while Morgan kissed the side of her head.

This made our little group laugh and the boys snort. Morgan put his hand on my shoulder, "Do you want us to cancel our trip and stay with you, Laura?"

I held onto Rick, looking up at my best friends, shaking my head, "You guys have been planning this trip for months. We'll be okay…"

Morgan looked unsure, but Jenny shook her head at him, "He'll be okay Laura and maybe when we get back in a week he'll be up and awake. Do you still wanna take Duane?"

Duane made a whining noise before I heard him yelp. We all turned to him. He and the other kids looked sheepish, while Sophia looked guilty, "She hit me!"

Sophia frowned, "He was whining. He shouldn't whine while Uncle Rick is sleeping. That's rude." Judy nodded, "That's true!" Carl just shrugged, "Judy. I don't think you guys know what you're talking about." Both girls glared at him.

I couldn't help, but cry again. Carol gently pried me off of my husband, "When you two get back could you house sit for Laura until Rick gets back? I think this one needs an impromptu two week quarry camping trip."

I looked up weakly at them, "If you guys wouldn't mind…I think Carol's right." Jenny and Morgan agreed and we all came in for a group hug around Rick.

"Mmkay, honey, we won't have to leave your house for anything, right?" Jenny asked and Morgan let out a sheepish laugh. I figured an extended couple's vacation at my place would be a good enough thank you. "You guys can sit tight till he comes back. It's warded to the wazoo and the enchanted pantry can provide basically all you could want or need. We finished filling it up a couple days ago…" I sniffled.

"Thanks Laura. I'll make sure Jenny has her phone on her at all times. We'll call you the moment we know Rick's woken up." Morgan kissed to top of my head and Jenny gently rubbed my shoulder.

Soon enough the kids and I peppered Rick with kisses. We stayed for hours and the kids put up 'Get Well Soon' pictures and 'Come Home Soon' pictures by my husband's bed. Carl put them up with a sticky charm; he had that mischievous spark in his eyes again. A camping trip would be good for them and me.

lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

It was September second, and the day was cool with a warm breeze lingering here and there. It was still hitting me that it was the day after my husband's accident and the children were piled up on top of me. Morgan and Jenny were off on their vacation and Carol had Sasha, her assistant manager, running the bakery while we were gone. Everyone began to pack up their go bags. We always ended up using the go bags when we went camping.

I made sure to charm the gas tank to always refill. I wouldn't chance it in case walkers would come sooner. The comics had hinted that it would happen on this month so I made sure to conjure and shrink guns, knives, and cross bows. If they didn't come, I could just disillusion them later...It would be good to stay on guard.

I carved runic protection symbols on all five doors of the SUV and all along its windshield, and all the windows until everything was interconnected and glowing. This car would need to be run over with a hundred tanks before it would give. I couldn't have our safety breached again.

Judy came over dragging the, bigger on the inside, tent, "Mom? Could you charm it pink this time, please? Carl got to make it blue last time and he won't change it. Sophia is siding with Carl again and Duane wouldn't stop playing with his DS." She was holding the fuzzy unicorn from the fourth Despicable Me movie, pouting at me with her big blue eyes. My daughter looked adorable in her galaxy leggings, brown leather jacket, black Gravity Falls vomiting gnomes' shirt, and green child sized combat boots. I made all everyone wear combat boots while camping; they didn't fuss to much as long as they had the colors and designs they wanted.

I sighed and smiled flicking my wrist changing the neutral blue into a pastel pink, "How's that, sweetie?" I bent down and kissed the long dark brown curls on her head. I waved my hand across the top of her head instantly putting her hair into a fishtail braid.

"Thank you mommy!" She grinned up at me showcasing her deep dimples. Dragging the, now pink, tent away she went to go try and bug the other children to play with her.

"Boo." Carol popped out from behind me. I clutched my chest and thanked God that I wasn't handling a wand anymore. It wouldn't do to accidentally Reducto someone. "Don't _**do**_ that. _**Jesus**_. You scared me."

Carol shrugged and smiled at me, not at all apologetic, "Relax, little bean. You almost ready?" She tugged at the go bag that she had hanging off her shoulder, "Do you want me to drive or do you want to?" Glancing at her outfit, I was glad I made weird rules about quarry camping and that the guy who owned it was okay that we were the only ones camping there. Everyone else appeared to be getting ready to send their kids to school. Carol was wearing deep burgundy combat boots; it was certainly more subtle than what the children had chosen to wear.

"Is that a new jacket?" I had never seen her in a leather jacket before; she always seemed to prefer denim or cotton.

"Mhmm. Sophia picked it out for me. I think the pink leather suits me, dontcha think?" She laughed and tugged at one of her sleeves, "She said it would be great for the fall, and got Carl to cast a warming and cooling charm on it. What've you been teaching that boy?"

I let out a short laugh, "This and that. Judy's learning too. It highlights your cool pixie cut. I just have to pack up and shrink the last of our supplies then we can head out. If you don't mind, Carol, you can drive up this time."

She grinned at me while sitting on the bed, where I had laid out my go bag, and leaned back on one of her hands, "Why do we need supplies when you're magic, little bean?"

Carol could always make me smile, "Magical exhaustion, you know that." I shrunk everything down and stored it away in my go bag with a wave of my hand. I straightened up and began to French braid my now shoulder length hair.

The kids trampled in, the boys looking irate and the girls looking peevish. Sophia spoke up, "Carl and Duane said the news said that zombies are _**real**_. They're scaring Judy, mom."

Carol lifted one delicate eyebrow, "Is that true?"

I frowned, "Carl. Duane." I felt my heart quake and gut clench.

Both boys looked properly guilty and Duane shoved Carl forward. He scowled back at his god brother, "Well not the _news_ **exactly**. We were just looking on the weird and wild forum on Duane's DS, and _they_ said that there was a new disease that was spreading from South America all the way through Europe. There were already a couple cases reported here and Canada. Everyone said it's spreading everywhere faster than the plague."

Carol shook her head sighing before letting herself fall onto her back on the bed. She had looked tense too. We all kept hearing reports of rising cannibalism throughout the world, but nothing that sounded like an outright outbreak.

I bent down and kissed both boys' on the forehead, "See girls. It was just a forum. Not the news. Now go make sure that you have everything and are all packed up because we're not stopping till we get to the camp ground, ya' hear? Make sure to go to the bathroom too!"

The girls hugged both Carol and me before dragging the boys off cheerfully gloating. Carol looked up at me from her position, "Do you think that's true?"

I gave her an exhausted sigh, "Just in case I packed guns."

Carol grinned, "It's good that we all know how to shoot well then."

lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

We had been camping for several days when the tenth of September rolled on by. We hunted and fished just like normal, but this time I started teaching Carl and Judy how to ward things and carve runes into items. They were doing rather well, although I'm fairly certain Carl and Duane had more fun hunting. The girls liked to practice their aim at the silenced shooting range we had in the tent.

I had given them all more freedom after I figured out how to portkey the kids back to my side. If the little different pendants, that represented each of them on my necklace, would burn to the touch it meant that they were in danger, which meant back to mama bear. That was a headache and a half to charm. I had given it to all the kids; thin shimmering silver necklaces with small starburst diamond pendants for the girls, and small golden cross pendants for the boys. They were one of my best pieces of work with charms to date.

I had offered the heating pendants with the portkeys to Carol and she actually laughed out loud, before she accepted them with a smile. She wore a slim glittering gold chain with the multiple pendants circling around a single enamel chocolate chip cookie pendant. She suggested making it so that we could portkey ourselves to them as well. I would have to tinker with that idea later on.

Since we were in 'camping mode' we didn't really keep up with the outside world, so when I got phone call from Jenny we were all surprised. She said she'd only call if Rick woke up, to check in on us, and if there was an emergency. She had already called earlier in the morning, so I was curious as to what warranted a phone call.

Sitting back on the puffy blue couch in our tent's living room, I called out to the kids and Carol who were outside checking on the ward stones we placed around the tent and the SUV.

"Kids, Carol! Jenny's on the phone! You wanna listen in?" I put her on speaker phone while the kids and Carol ran in. Carl jumped into the cushion beside me pecking my cheek. Judy and Sophia took the other cushion on the other side of me while Duane and Carol leaned over from the other couch parallel.

"Hello?" I was feeling queasy and tired today. I think the morning sickness was kicking in, but that was alright since Carol offered to watch the kids until the worst would pass on this trip.

"Laura? _Oh thank God_. Is everyone there?" Jenny sounded panicked and I could hear Morgan shushing her in the background.

We all looked at one another warily, and Duane leaned in closer to the phone, "Mom, we're all here and _**nothing's**_ wrong. What's going on over at Aunt Laura's place? Did dad burn their kitchen again?" I chuckled and Carol snickered while Judy pouted, Carl pinched Duane, and Sophia gently slapped Carl upside the head for pinching people again.

We could hear Morgan quietly laughing in the background; that had actually happened last summer by some weird act of God. Jenny quietly giggled as well, "No, sweetheart. Did ya'll hear what was going on down here? The dead are risin' and eating people. We saw it on the news. People are trampling over to Atlanta, but we checked up on the international news as well. They bombed Atlanta." I could hear Jenny choke up. Her parents were living up there for their retirement.

"Laura, Jenny needed a moment. We'll camp out to wait for Rick. His pendant is still not burning, right?" Morgan sounded calmer than his wife.

The smiles that were on our faces faded and Duane crumpled into Carol. Sophia nudged over Carl and sat down at my feet snuggling into my leg. Judy tried to burry herself into my side, "Yeah. His pendant is still cold, and still blue. He's not awake yet, but he's safe."

I could hear Morgan smile, "This house is beyond a life saver, Laura. We'll wait for Rick to come here since we can't venture out right now. Everyone's running in panic and so many of them are roaming around. We already saw your neighbors getting eaten. The walkers don't come near here in a ten foot radius though, and no one else seems to notice the house at all."

I managed to grin at that. My wards worked. "I told you I warded the house to the wazoo, Morgan. Oh! Once Rick comes home could ya'll trace the numbers on our house in a backwards motion twice over? Oh! And do ya'll have proper transport to get here?"

The children tensed while Carol stared down at my phone, they all looked like their gears were whirring through their minds. I wondered what they were all thinking.

"Mhmm…we parked our car in your driveway and its fine. I figure we have enough fuel to get there. Once Rick gets here we'll be sure to do that. What exactly does that do?" Morgan asked. We could all hear Jenny putting on the kettle. She probably really needed coffee doused in double chocolate syrup after all this. She was a coffee nut.

"Well, just so you don't run out into any problems…there are little glowing circle stickers with a bunch of runes on them beside our TV. Make sure to stick the one with the smiley face on your gas tank. It'll make it so you don't need to ever stop for a week, which should be enough. Stick the other twelve around your car and it'll be just as warded as the house. And tracing the numbers on our house backwards twice over who knows where we live activates the charm that shrinks it. If you could bring it with you, I'd be mighty appreciative." The children were less scared now that I had reminded we had magic on our side. Carol got up and tugged them away to probably make hot chocolate. I hoped that they would save me some. I loved hot chocolate with big marshmallows and whipped cream.

Duane hung back, "Dad! You, mom, and Uncle Rick drive safe. Get here soon. I love you!" After that he ran after Carol and the other kids. I could hear Carol turn on the electric kettle the kitchen and prepping seven mugs. The kids were squabbling about who got to do what in the hot chocolate making process.

Morgan and Jenny laughed, "That's my son. I'm gonna hand you over to Jenny now. I _**desperately**_ need a coffee with some whisky after seeing that _**shit**_."

Jenny sounded watery, "I'm sorry Laura. Do you want me to tell you about the news or do you wanna tune in on your side?" I could hear her take a big gulp of her drink.

"I don't really want the kids to see walkers eating people just in case. The five foot mark around our tent and SUV will keep us as safe as the house, so we shouldn't for a little while. Do you think you'll be okay to tell me about it?" I really didn't want to see the walkers on TV or the burning cities either.

I could hear her take a couple more gulps of her drink, "I can do it. All the states that weren't powered with nuclear, solar, or hydro are shit outta luck when it comes to power." She was actively cursing, which indicated, at least to me, that she was really freaking out even if she wasn't vocally expressing it.

"Mhmm?" I tugged at my braid, anxious, but not anxious enough to turn on the smart TV in front of me. I didn't want some news caster breaking the bad news to me that this was the Walking Dead universe.

She took a breath, "So most of the southern states had no power right away. Everything shut down, that's why I was so worried when I called. Thank you for charming the phones. God, thank you for asking us to stay _here_…if we were still at the hotel…" I could hear her start to cry. After a couple minutes her cries dwindled to sniffles. I could hear Morgan comforting her on the other end of the line.

"You gonna be okay, Jenny?" I whispered hoping that despite the discomfort and shock she would keep going.

"Yeah…Yeah…I'll be okay. Any ways…Georgia, Kentucky, and a whole bunch of other states are without power, cell connectivity, nothin'. I'm so glad you're magic. They sequestered the president and his family away in some far away emergency bunker, but they won't accept anyone that wasn't directly working for them. A lot of people have fled to all those expansive bomb shelters they built back in world war two all over the world.

People are scrambling and scientists are pointing fingers. They said that someone named Richard Lazarus started all this in New York. The camera crews are saying to stay out of the south since that's where this virus hit the hardest. Most of central Asia went down the hardest. All the flights are grounded, and people that can't see the news don't know about how if you die you come back even if you haven't been bit. It's so horrible Laura." Jenny broke down in tears again. I could hear Jenny handing over her phone to Morgan.

"I think we need some time to absorb this, Laura. We'll keep an eye out for when Rick comes here. Ya'll are family, and family never leaves family behind. We'll call you again for our regular check up and if anything else comes up." Morgan sounded exhausted. I felt emotionally drained and checked up on Rick's tiny gun pendant on my necklace. It was still blue and cool against my skin. I **_knew_ **the world was going to end. Rick owed me sex on a boat.

"Alright Morgan, you two rest up. Thanks. I'll talk to you both soon." With that the phone call ended and I let myself flop down lengthwise onto the couch. This was a cluster fuck. Groaning I put my arm against my eyes, I had prepared for ten years, but I had always hoped that I was just crazy. Tears streamed down my cheeks. I gasped for a breath, trying to calm my oncoming breakdown.

"Mom?" Carl was kneeling in front of me holding a mug of hot chocolate with Judy peering at me from around his shoulder. "Mommy?"

I rubbed away the tears, "Yes, sweethearts?" I managed a watery smile, "Is that hot chocolate for me?"

Judy nudged Carl. His face was contorted into a worried frown, "We'll be okay mom. Magic's on our side, remember?"

I nodded sipping my drink. The smooth hot chocolate, mixed in with the melting marshmallows, and warm whipped cream helped calm my rising anxieties, "Thank you kids."

Carl gave a curt nod blushing, while Judy beamed, "Does this mean the boy's can't hunt anymore?"

I shook my head, "You're brother's right. Magic's on our side, and we've trained ya'll well enough to know how to shoot and protect yourselves. But just know that if your pendant so much warms I'm going to portkey you back to my side so fast your head will spin. Understand?"

Judy and Carl nodded. I looked over behind them, "That means you too Sophia and Duane."

Carol smiled sipping at her drink. I swear she spiked hers with something because she was so calm. She sat down on the opposite couch facing mine, "Either to her side or mine. So don't do anything to warrant that."

"Yes mom. Yes Aunt Carol." They intoned before Duane started fidgeting, "Can we all go and play in the game room now?" I noticed that all the children had empty mugs now, huh.

Nodding from my position and looking at Carol for confirmation I said, "Sure. Go for it."

Carol had her elbows on her knees, her hands fisted under chin, "We'll be okay, little bean, from the walkers and the very much human monsters that are out here."

I leaned up onto my elbows and tried to smile at one of my best friends, but I could only manage to grimace before shaking my head, "I really hope so."

lllllllllllllllllllllllll

To be continued...

llllllllllllllllllllllll

**Sneak**** Peak****:** Turning to the wary group behind him, I addressed them, "Ya'll can stay. Just tell us who you are _first_ and my lovely friend here'll put down her gun _after_."


	7. Chapter 7

**Hiraeth**

Noun - homesickness tinged with grief or sadness over a lost home that can never be returned to.

**Story Premise:**

Persephone Pines former muggleborn Hufflepuff unspeakable tossed into the walking dead dimension after a botched up portal take down at work. This is an alternate universe Walking Dead.

This story is rated M for future scenes and vulgarity. You have been warned.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Be warned, this is an alternate universe story so things will be different at times. This is not a happy rainbows and pink kitten fluff story. It may be a dark at times. If that's not what you wanted, there are many other great stories to pursue out there.

Reviews mean that I keep going and update sooner. Flames are not appreciated or welcomed. Remember what Thumper the rabbit said in the movie Bambi. If you have nothing nice to say, then don't say it. If you have constructive criticism, go ahead and give it, that's always welcomed.

**Thank you to the awesome guest for reviewing! I hope you like this chapter. :3**

**Thank you to gabby521 for also reviewing. The Dixons make their first appearance here in this chapter. They have more lines in the next chapter though. I hope you enjoy it. **

**Thank you to those that put my story on their favorites list and/or followed it: MayKay, Nielendorane ou so Niele**

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

**Chapter Seven**

**Changing Gears**

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

The outside world raged on and was ravished by this new virus while we waited for something to happen. Morgan and Jenny kept us updated every day, and we were reassured that they, and my husband, were safe.

We had a new routine; Carol started running guard duties with the boys, switching over every couple hours. Carl had enlarged the weapons I had packed under her direction. I had offered to, but she said that I couldn't participate because I shouldn't forget that I was still pregnant. Magical exhaustion she said, she threw my words back at me with a smile. Judy and Sophia couldn't participate because they were given the job of watching over me. I wasn't even that heavily pregnant yet. Jeez. I was just really nauseated and vomiting now and again. I could handle it.

It had be another week and a half when people showed up at the camp ground quarry, very much alive people. Shane appeared with them…

llllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Duane and Carl came rushing into our tent dragging us all out to see what the commotion was. Carol had her machine gun out, something that I recently conjured for her, pointed at the new group of people that came into our, previously empty, campground.

"What're ya'll doing here? What do you want? Are any of you _**bit**_ or _**sick**_?" Carol barked out in rapid succession. I had never seen her so tense. I may have forgotten to mention that Carol went through a whole shit ton of rigorous soul crushing self defense training and _may_ or _may not_ have tried to join the marines at some point in the years past, while running her kick ass bakery. She would never say where she disappeared to for year after Ed had almost raped Sophia. We had running bets, but no one really wanted to ask. She's kind of scary now, when she wants to be. I had to keep all the Carol Nyquil jokes to myself because they would make no sense to anyone else.

The kids and I stood behind her, warily looking at the group before us. I tightened my hold on the wards. If they tried anything, I would activate the aggressive part of my wards. I didn't care if I had seen them as _okay_ human beings in the show, _minus Shane_. My family came first and foremost, and if that meant squishing all of them into jelly, _**then so be it.**_

Shane stepped up in front of the, very surprised, group holding his hands up and giving us his slimy smile, "You _**know**_ who I am Carol. I just found some folks that needed help, and figured that here was safe."

Carol didn't put down her machine gun so I walked up to stand beside her with the kids securely behind us, "Where's Lambert, Walsh?"

Shane leered at me, trying to weakly hide his glee, "He turned." He had recently shaved his head. All the better to shoot him.

I wanted to punch him in the face, and I could tell that Carol wanted to shot him in the head. I could feel it in my gut that he killed him just like he tried to do with my husband. Lambert's charm had blackened a while ago, but I hadn't known what that meant. Now I knew.

Carol stiffened rolled her shoulders and hardened her glare at Shane, trigger finger still at the ready. I put my hand on her shoulder nodding towards the people behind the slime bag. She ground her teeth, "Fine."

Turning to the wary group behind him, I addressed them, "Ya'll can stay. Just tell us who you are _first_ and my lovely friend here'll put down her gun _after_."

I could see that it was the original Atlanta crew; Shane, Glenn, Daryl, Merle, T-dog, Jacqui, the Morales family, Andrea, Amy, and Dale. I wondered if I made enough ripples in this world to change them too. Looking at them I noticed the varying degrees of expressions on all their faces. Merle was grinning like a loon. I think we made a good impression with him, Daryl looked wary, Glenn looked aptly scared, Amy and Andrea were sneering at us, and everyone else looked worried.

I pointed at a sneering Andrea, "How 'bout we start with you blondie?" She literally turned up her nose at us, and I could hear Carl hold Sophia back.

"Why should we say anything to _**you**_?" She snapped. Ohhhh, _**hell**_ to the **no**, she did _not_ just say that. I could see Carol trying to hold back her snickers while she moved her aim to Andrea's head.

Merle let out a barking laugh breaking the tense atmosphere. He turned to Andrea and in his most patronizing voice stated, "Now, **see here** _sweetheart_. These nice firecrackers are pointing a gun at your head. I'd say that was apt enough reason to stop shooting your pretty little mouth. There are better uses for it."

She turned to Merle and was about to start yelling at him, but before she could make this situation worse Dale stepped up to stand in front of Shane. "We don't want any trouble. I'm Dale Horvath and I own that RV over there. I was on my way to spend time with my grandkids in Atlanta, but all the cars were jammed up. I picked up Amy and Andrea when I saw that their car had broken down." He gestured to the two blondes who looked like they smelled something bad.

The others took this as their cue to introduce themselves, "I'm Glenn Rhee." Glenn tipped his baseball cap to us with a nervous smile.

"I'm T-dog and this is Jacqui" T-dog pointed at himself and Jacqui.

"We're the Morales family." The mother made sure to hide her children behind her. Good instincts that one.

Daryl stayed relatively silent so Merle gestured to himself and his brother, "We're the Dixions, darlin's. I'm Merle and this one's Daryl. Now that ya'll know us, care to put down the gun? Although I wouldn't mind if ya'll put a bullet here in Officer Friendly's head." Merle gave Shane a predatory grin. I think I could get along with this man.

Carol actually let out a laugh at that, "Alright." She only slowly lowered her gun, but brought it back up when Amy stormed up a couple feet in front of our group.

"Why don't you guys tell us who _**you**__ are_!?" Amy shouted. She was going to draw walkers on them if she kept being bratty and loud. I'm certainly not saving her with this attitude. She'd be a danger to all of us. I think Carol saw this too because she clicked off the safety on her gun.

That click caused Andrea to fearfully and quickly drag her sister back to her; she turned the both of them away and refused to look at our group. We're definitely not saving them.

Shane tried to charm us by giving us another one of his slimy grins, "Well?"

Carol openly scowled at him, "You know who we are Walsh." She clicked on the safety of her machine gun and pointed it downwards, but she didn't let Shane come an inch closer. I should get her a Tommy gun, a fedora and a cigar; although I think she would say no to the cigar and the hat.

The atmosphere was tense even after all their introductions. I decided that trusting them with our names would be okay for now. I rubbed one of Carol's shoulders, "But they don't." She let out an exasperated sigh. The kids had crowded further towards us. Judy looked around me and glared at the group in front of us, "I'm Judy."

I rolled my eyes and smiled down at my daughter, "Oh sweetheart."

"You have a daughter too?" The Morales mother asked. This broke the ice between us, although I could tell that Dale, Amy, and Andrea were still really wary of us. Shane just looked smug for some reason. I'd be sure to keep our distance from that scum bag.

"Mhmm. I'm Laura Grimes, my lovely friend here is Carol Peletier, Judy's my daughter, and behind her is Sophia; Carol's daughter, right there is Carl; my son, and Duane; my godson. You're all welcome here, just so long as you don't give us reason to doubt our safety." I nodded at them.

Dale came forward again past Shane this time; a dark look appeared on his face when Dale did that. "Thank you for letting us stay, you could share our supplies if you'd like."

Andrea kept Amy to her chest and hissed, "Why should we share anything with these hillbillies?" Merle and Daryl scowled at the two blonds, the Morales family looked irritated at the blonde, Glenn looked uncomfortable, and T-dog and Jacqui tried to put more space between themselves and Andrea. Shane had a sour look on his face looking at Andrea, and Dale let out a deep sigh pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I'm sorry for Andrea's rudeness." Dale really shouldn't be apologizing for her. She certainly needed a smack down along with her sister in this dimension.

"She certainly has a mouth on her," Merle stated earning a glare from the majority of their group. He might have been a little bit rough around the edges, but he wasn't as bad as he had been in the show. I wonder what changed in this dimension.

"Why else would they have guns then?" Amy piped in with a saccharine tone.

Carol snorted at what she said, "You're really closed minded. Just because we have guns doesn't mean we're hillbillies."

Daryl didn't say much, but I could tell that he was smiling. I think the majority of us were going to get along just fine, just as long as Shane, Andrea and Amy stayed away from us.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllll

We camped out with them for two weeks while waiting for Rick, Morgan and Jenny to show up. Jenny and Morgan said he still hadn't managed to get to our house yet, but I had a gut feeling that he would soon. Just in case he did they packed up everything a head of time and waited by the front of the house.

Carol had brought up possibly killing Shane after she found him trailing our girls. I agreed with Carol, but we would have to be careful about it...He was getting bolder and bolder each week. I knew that the protections that I had given the girls would make it almost impossible to touch them should they be in danger, but I was still paranoid. I didn't like how he kept staring at us. The other women noticed which lead to them sticking to us while Andrea and Amy started looking down on us. I wasn't sure, but I think he had a thing going on with Andrea. It wouldn't surprise me.

We got closer to the Morales family, Glenn, the Dixons, T-dog and Jacqui. We didn't really have anything to do with Dale, even though he was nice enough. He kept apologizing for Andrea's and Amy's continued hostility and rudeness, but that didn't really help. We still didn't trust Shane as far as we could throw him and that didn't change even with the apocalypse happening. It's not like he stopped being creepy either.

Despite the presence of the two blondes and Shane, we had a pretty good time with the others. Our kids enjoyed the company of the other children as well.

Carol spent long treks with Daryl and Merle hunting every couple days, when she wasn't making sure we were okay. I took the kids and started teaching them how to kill walkers, which Gloria Morales didn't really agree with. I did manage to sway her with a slight confundus though.

I found out that Glenn was just as sweet and funny as he was when I first saw him in the show. However, in this universe T-dog and Jacqui were married, which blew my mind.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllll

It was a warm night out tonight and both groups had merged somewhat, with Andrea, Amy and Shane sitting over to the side. The others would go along with most of what Shane said, but when it came down to it they seemed like they would side with us.

Carol and I handed out plates full of food to the people that were sitting near our fire. Gloria hand offered to hand out plates to the people that were sitting around Shane's fire before coming back to our fire with a pissed off look on her face. Only Dale had accepted any food.

I handed a plate filled with roast beef, mashed potatoes, and veggies to Merle.

He grinned and winked at me, "Thanks for the grub sugar tits."

He was still mouthy, but seemed to be _**much**_ nicer. There was still name calling, but there wasn't any malice in it. From what Carol told me, in this universe, instead of abandoning his brother to fend for himself he took the both of them away when he was fifteen. He got a job as a full time janitor and raised his brother and himself away from their abusive _parents_. Sure he was still a racist, sexist who was still into drugs, guns, and hunting, but he was more like he was after Woodbury; a tamed down version of Merle.

"You're welcome, mister." I laughed before handing one over to Glenn. He took the plate gratefully.

"You okay, Glenn?" I sat down looking at our little group; my heart ached for my best friends and husband. I wished that they would get here sooner. The phone calls weren't enough anymore. We all needed to see them.

"Yeah…Thanks for asking, Laura. I'm just glad we met you guys." He smiled before cracking his back, "It was certainly an upgrade." Glenn dug into his pizza relishing the cheese and pepperoni pieces. Glancing back at the other fire, I could see Shane glowering at all of us. That's what would happen if you were a controlling asshole who wouldn't take no for an answer.

I grinned, dimpling my cheeks, before tucking into my chicken nuggets and fries. I loved magic.

Daryl and Carol were sitting together chatting while they ate their hot dogs. The kids were roasting marshmallows while Jacqui and T-dog were demonstrating how to make proper s'mores. Mitchell Morales was happily enjoying his bacon burger. Gloria sat down and let out a frustrated sigh, "I don't like them." She bit into her roast chicken sandwich angrily. Many people nodded their heads silently agreeing. Dale was alright, but he always tried to make up for what they did or said to the others.

They all had questions about our endless supply of food, our seemingly small tent that could house all six of us, and how we were all so clean, but with a well placed confundus the questions dropped. I wasn't going to reveal our trump card to people that I didn't completely trust yet. I was definitely not going to teach Judy and Carl the confundus charm. I abused that spell far too much to be any sort of good role model. All in all, having this group around wasn't so bad. Plus I hadn't vomited this entire week, the walker that was nearby, just like in that killed Ed in the show, silently exploded and no one noticed me banishing its' body. Besides that, Shane had stayed far away from us too. I call that a win.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllll

It was a cool afternoon and the leaves swayed in the breeze when we got the call we had been waiting for. I was sitting with the other people who decided to stay behind while Shane, Andrea, Amy, Merle, Glenn, Morales, and T-dog go went for a run at Shane's insistence. Andrea didn't trust us to keep Amy safe here at the camp, which really hurt Dale, but I doubt that mattered a lot to her.

Shane didn't bother to pressure either Carol or me into going with him. When Andrea had complained about that he had snidely said that housewives were meant to stay housewives. I think that was a dig at Carol because I could feel her fume beside me while they left. She disappeared for a while into our tent after talking with Daryl. Those two seemed kind of cozy. Maybe it was all the hunting they did together. It certainly helped me cover how much magic I used.

Jacqui, Gloria, Carol and I were watching over the kids while they played tag. We were sitting on the picnic bench beside our tent. Carol had her gun slung over her shoulder while she sipped at her lemon aide, a smile playing across her face.

"Not hunting today?" I bumped my shoulder with Carols' while Jacqui and Gloria got better acquainted. My lemon aide was precariously balanced between my knees.

"Nope," She stated popping the 'p' and taking another long sip of her drink. "Pookie needs some alone time. He didn't want Merle to go with them. He left anyways after Shane had started baiting him, so Daryl needs to cool off."

My phone rang and Radioactive played. I know, I know…inappropriate, but still. It was a good song. I accidentally dropped my glass spilling lemon aide all over the bench. I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and answered it.

Jacqui and Gloria looked shocked to see a working cell phone. When Duane heard my familiar ring tone, he froze. This in turn caused the other kids to freeze too. Judy grabbed Sophia's hand, who in turn grabbed Carl, who grabbed Duane, dragging them quickly towards us. The other two Morales kids, Emily and Jason respectively, followed after them at a more sedate pace.

"You have a working phone." Gloria gasped. She looked so damn hopeful, but for what I wasn't quite sure.

I nodded and put the phone on speaker once we were all huddled together with Jacqui, Gloria and her kids just outside of our little group. "Hello?"

"Laura?" Rick's voice echoed through my head and I felt tears drip down my face while my grin threatened to cramp my face.

Carl and Judy started jumping up and down, Sophia laughed, and Duane grinned. Carol let out relieved sigh.

"Sweetheart…" I choked out. The weight that had been on my chest this entire month lifted and I felt like I could finally breathe freely.

"You're all okay?" Rick sounded beyond relieved and we could hear Morgan and Jenny laughing in the background.

Carl and Judy leaned in closer, "Dad!" "Daddy!"

"Carl. Judy." Rick choked out. We could hear he was crying. I couldn't blame him since I couldn't stop cry either for the life of me. I had known that he would be okay and that we would see him again, but there was still a lingering doubt at the back of my mind.

Carol smiled and wrapped an arm around me. She could tell I was too choked up to say anything, "We're all okay here, Rick. Are ya'll heading over now?"

"As soon as we've packed up and Morgan checks on my head again. Thank you, Carol for looking after my family."

"Family takes care of family, Rick." Carol stated before patting my shoulder. "I'm going to go keep a lookout on our campsite, Laura. I'll be back."

Duane pressed him closer to the phone, "Uncle Rick, are you okay now? Can you, mom and dad come here now?"

"Yes, chickadee, we're packing up right now. Do you wanna talk to your parents?" Rick sounded like he was exhausted. Duane looked at us begging me with his eyes if he could have a private word with his parents for once.

"Go a head sweetie." I smiled kissing the side of his head. Judy and Carl both chorused along with me that we loved and missed them.

Gloria warily tapped my shoulder once our huddle dispersed, "Laura…I'm not going to ask how you have a working cell phone while we everything everywhere else is down for some reason, but if it would be okay…" She seemed to be gathering her courage, "Could I borrow your phone to make a call to Birmingham? I need to check if my family's okay."

I tilted my head to the side, "I have a satellite phone, and sure. You can borrow it when Duane is done."

Gloria gave me a big hug before trailing after Duane with her kids. She was being a little creepy about it, but I couldn't blame her. I would too if I had a chance to talk to my family. They never discussed what happened to the Morales family on the show or in the comic. I wondered if they had any family left alive to begin with.

I shrugged and was about to turn back to clean up my spill when I caught Jacqui staring at me.

"Yes, Jacqui? What's up?" I could see that she was surprised about my phone too, but instead of calling me out on it she was just smiling.

"Would it be alright if I called some family too, sugar?" Jacqui was sweet and fond of calling everyone sugar. Merle certainly got a kick out of it once she warmed up to him too.

"Sure, you can Jacqui." I grinned up at her. I was in too good of a mood to really care if anyone used my magic phone. My husband was alive and well, my best friends and aforementioned husband were on the way to where we were, Shane wasn't around right now, and my baby bump was coming in. I was on cloud nine. Sure the story changed and I didn't quite know this version of the Walking Dad universe, but so far it was looking okay. I hoped that this lucky streak of ours would continue.

"Thanks, sugar. Here, I'll go get some towels from my car to help mop up that spill." She smiled and hurried over to her nearby car. I knew that I could just clean it up with magic, but I didn't really trust Dale, Jacqui or Gloria. As nice as they were and as close as I had gotten with the women, I didn't really know them or how their true characters were.

Dale waved down at me when I looked up to the roof of his RV. He was smiling down warmly at us. I doubt he heard anything, but it put me on edge. I wondered when everyone would get here, and if they were going to arrive at the same time. We were certainly in for an interesting ride ahead.

lllllllllllllllllllllllll

To be continued...

llllllllllllllllllllllll


	8. Chapter 8

**Hiraeth**

Noun - homesickness tinged with grief or sadness over a lost home that can never be returned to.

**Story Premise:**

Persephone Pines former muggleborn Hufflepuff unspeakable tossed into the walking dead dimension after a botched up portal take down at work. This is an alternate universe Walking Dead.

This story is rated M for future scenes and vulgarity. You have been warned.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Be warned, this is an alternate universe story so things will be different at times. This is not a happy rainbows and pink kitten fluff story. It may be a dark at times. If that's not what you wanted, there are many other great stories to pursue out there.

Reviews mean that I keep going and update sooner. Flames are not appreciated or welcomed. Remember what Thumper the rabbit said in the movie Bambi. If you have nothing nice to say, then don't say it. If you have constructive criticism, go ahead and give it, that's always welcomed.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

**Thank you to the awesome Sage1992 for reviewing.**

Thank you to the people who put my story on their favorites list and/or followed the story: Shaka-laka-BOOM-girl, mineral121, Dark Lord of All

I'm sorry that I haven't been able to update sooner. The main reason is because my husband and I recently acquired the Sims 4 along with all the DLCs available. I've been completely absorbed with it as of late, along with housework and work. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

**Chapter Eight**

**Different Paths**

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

The sun had set and risen; it was the longest amount of time that the group had spent going on a run. Crickets chirped throughout the night and birds sang in the morning light. I hoped that Glenn and the others were alright, although I'm fairly sure that both Carol and I wished that Shane would get eaten, as horrible as that sounds. It was better to cut the problem at the root than have it spiraling out of control.

Gloria had gotten a hold of her family from Birmingham. I had honestly thought that they didn't have anyone left, and that having them leave would've spelt their doom. I'm glad I was wrong. She had mentioned that she wanted her and her family to leave to go and join the fallout vault that her parents were sequestered in. I honestly thought that finding their family was a good idea too, but at the same time I was wary. I did recall playing the Fallout games as a teenager. Vaults usually spelt trouble in my books.

Jacqui had managed to get a hold of her mother last night. She was so God damn excited too. They had apparently survived and had set up shop in some gated complex in DC. She wanted to get her and T-dog to her family as soon as possible. I think it had shaken her when Shane had forced T-dog to come on the run. I would be more pissed off than shaken to be honest.

I couldn't imagine what it had been like for all of them to be traveling with such hostile and controlling people for a while. It had been pretty stressful and tense just being around Shane, Andrea and Amy for a _week_. I couldn't even imagine having to actually listen and do what they said. Jacqui and Gloria agreed that Shane _combined_ with the gruesome twosome were calculating and self centered; Shane especially. They also both said that even though Shane was clearly sleeping with Andrea he kept leering and following them as well along with Gloria's ten year old daughter. It was just lucky that they had T-dog and Mitchell watching over them, although they in turn took all the heat for them. Those men went through a _**shit ton**_ for their families apparently.

lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

For a Sunday morning during the apocalypse, it was a surprisingly peaceful day today. It almost felt like we were normally camping again. I could hear the birds singing in the trees, a cool clean breeze was out today; all this pointed to what should be a walker free day. It felt great. Well…it sort of did, if you didn't count on us having to share our living space with hostile people, and crazed man-eating beasts; aka walkers, other than that, just a normal everyday occurrence for the Grimes family. I'm getting better with sarcasm, I think. Jenny always laughed when I asked if someone was being sarcastic. She had said, at one point or another; that if I was just a southern Texan genius that I would certainly be a great Sheldon Cooper impersonator. I miss her.

Since there were other children, I had to ask my kids, Sophia, and Duane, to stick to the outside of the tent instead of watching their normal Sunday morning cartoons. It would be too risky with other people around again especially since the other kids liked them. If only they were antisocial. This was met with scowls and complaints. They were happier when I let them have their cocoa puffs instead of their usual camping cereal, Cheerios. I don't know what they had against Cheerios. They all loved that cereal as babies, plus it's good for their digestive systems and hearts. Carol had laughed heartily at that. She was always smiling or trying to now-a-days. I think it was either to balance out all of my frowns and tears, or because a _certain_ hunter was around. It was probably a bit of both.

"Laura?" Carol looked worried for once. I didn't like the lines forming on her forehead. The kids were all stuffing their faces. I looked down at my shirt; it wasn't what I was wearing. It was a blue plaid quarter sleeve length shirt today with grey denim skinny jeans, and dark pink combat boots. I loved my dark pink combat boots.

"Yes?" I really don't know what was wrong. Dale was outside of the tent guarding; as per usual since Andrea and Amy went with the scavenging party, the Morales family were sleeping in their car, and Jacqui was spending some alone time in her nearby tent. Maybe it was about Daryl, he still wasn't back.

"You haven't _**touched**_ your bacon and eggs, _**or**_ your oatmeal. What's wrong, sugar pea?" She always felt more like a mother to me than a friend. I think that's why we got a long better as the years had passed. I knew that people couldn't be put into boxes, but Carol; for the most part, was still quite maternal despite her current scary side.

"I'm not really that hungry, Carol. My stomach hurts." I shrugged trying to give her my best kicked puppy look. I hated to whine, but I had a bad feeling about today for some reason. Sure it was a lovely walker free day _**so far**_, the wards were definitely a blessing, _**but still**_...

She brushed back my hair, stared into my eyes and started checking my vitals. The kids had stopped eating and were staring openly at me, "Whhhaaat?"

Judy and Sophia giggled while Duane grinned at me and Carl, _good sweet Carl_, looked sorry for me. He didn't like it when Carol checked him over either.

I started pouting while Carol was half way through her checkup on me, "Ya'll should just eat your cereal and play outside. I'm sure there are better things to do than sit here at the kitchen island and watch me and your aunt Carol." I crossed my arms.

Sophia beamed at her mom, "We could always watch cartoons?" Judy was bouncing, probably from the sugary cereal and the prospect of Sunday morning cartoons. Duane and Carl looked hopeful. I think I had promised the kids a couple new episodes of The Amazing World Of Gumball last week. They loved those anthropomorphic animals and their shenanigans.

This had Carol snickering while she finished checking on my skin elasticity, "Yeeaaah Laura. Besides, isn't there a spell that silences the tent sounds we make? I heard you mentioning it before...We'll be alright today. The terrible trio isn't here, and Rick, Morgan and Jenny are on their way here _**right now**_; they should even be calling soon. She motioned to the clock above the fridge.

"I suppose you're right," I sighed. Well...if the Morales kids asked where mine were a little spell work could divert their attention. For an instant I wondered if I was becoming morally corrupt before I shoved that thought aside.

The kids scrambled towards the living room still all in their pajamas, their cereal bowls long forgotten on the kitchen island. I rolled my eyes and made a face at Carol. She pinched my cheeks and helped me clean up the clutter.

While we were cleaning up we heard the others stirring from their warm abodes. It was kind of late for them to wake up, considering the circumstances, but since it was _**just us**_ it made sense. Besides, if there were any walkers the wards would keep a couple of them away at best. It wouldn't do much of anything for a horde though.

"Do you think that they'll want some breakfast, sugar pea?" I think she was worrying about everyone again. I stared at the pile of bacon, eggs and hash browns I had made. Perhaps I had over done it this morning?

"Probably; I made extra this morning anyways. Do you wanna head up and give some to Dale while I head over to the others to serve em' up some food?" I grinned at her while I finished putting away the dishes in the nearby dishwasher. I loved magical mundane tents; it was _**literally**_ the best of both worlds, not to mention it reminded me of the TARDIS.

"Sure. Besides, while I'm up there I can keep a lookout for Daryl and our group after I help you with the others." She smiled while she finished setting up everyone else's plate like a pro. "You're arms are a little too short to hold all the plates."

I giggled and nodded. "Do you miss it?" I picked up all the plates and cups that I could. Carol was carrying everything else like a pro. I remembered that she had mentioned meeting Ed as a waitress when she was younger.

Carol quirked a brow while picking up the plates and cups that I wasn't able to, "Sometimes. I loved baking for people and making their day by just having their favorite sweet treat. I'm happy here too though. It's given me more time with you guys."

I grinned happily at her and headed out of the tent walking side by side with her. She bumped my hip and kissed the side of my head on our way out.

The children were oblivious to everything while they lay on their bellies watching their cartoons with avid fascination. I loved watching with them too, but I had things that I needed to do. I made sure to bump the silencing ward stone that sat beside the entrance to our tent; just a tap of my foot activated it. If I could say anything about magic in this world, it was that it was certainly easier to pull it out from any limb than in comparison to my prior dimension.

Gloria and Jacqui were chatting together at the nearby picnic table while the Morales kids looked like they were still waking up. I made my way over to them with a smile, "Do ya'll want some breakfast?"

"Awwee, thanks sugar. That's mighty sweet of you." Jacqui winked and ruffled my hair. I was still pretty short in this dimension. I sometimes wished that I was taller, but I recalled what happened the _**last time**_ I constantly complained about my height. One warped portal into a different dimension was enough. I handed both of them plates and cups. I put down all the other plates and cups that I had been carrying. Carol had stopped by laying out the plates and cups she had been carrying on to the table beside the ones that I had already put down. She had gone up to the RV as soon as she had bid everyone a good morning. I could totally see she had the _hots_ for a certain someone, I had never seen her so anxious about someone before.

I chatted with Gloria and Jacqui for a while as they ate the food I made. I got a bunch of compliments on how fluffy my eggs were, which was nice. Gloria's kids had finally risen out of bed and joined in on eating breakfast with their mother. I checked my watch; it was a quarter passed ten. If I didn't get the kids away from our Smart TV they probably wouldn't unglue themselves from it until the late afternoon. Besides that, I needed Carol to calm down. If she was agitated it only agitated me and the kids too.

I got up and bid the ladies and the children adieu. Before I could go and get Carol down from the RV with Dale I heard the quiet engine of Morgan's car. Hope welled up in my chest and I was hesitant to turn around.

Carol waved down at me with Dale gesturing for me to turn around. The sound of the engine turned off near by and I heard car doors open. Heavy familiar foot steps crunched the gravel near me and they slowly sped up. My stomach felt like it was flip flopping and I clenched my eyes shut. I had hoped beyond reason that the footsteps that crunched around me belonged to my husband, but I didn't want to be disappointed. If it was Shane or someone else, I hoped that Carol would shot them in the head. I couldn't handle something like that right now.

Warm arms wrapped around my shoulders and I felt a familiar chest press up against my face, but it only hit me when I smelt that familiar scent. The scent of sunshine, sweet musky aftershave and Rick's personal smell mixed together. I wrapped my arms around his waist and burst into tears. Opening up my eyes I saw the watery image of my husband smiling down at me with tears running down his face as well.

"Rick?" I caressed his cheek and held his face in my hands while I tilted my head back to further take in his appearance. He looked tired, but otherwise happy and relieved.

"Laura." He bent down towards me and we started making out. I could hear Carol calling out to the kids, Morgan and Jenny. We were interrupted in our passionate reunion by a group hug from our children. Carl and Judith wrapped their arms around us and soon all the kids, Morgan, Jenny and Carol had us encased in a group hug. Everyone was talking over one another and so many things that were left unsaid came up; so many I love yous and I missed yous. I felt like my heart was overflowing and I couldn't keep my hands off of my husband. So far today turned out great.

lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Shane and the others came back late in the afternoon _missing_ _**two **_people, Amy and Merle. T-dog looked pale and shaky, Glenn and him were helping Mitchell speed walk away from Shane. They looked beyond exhausted. When he saw his wife and family the man fell to his knees. They gathered around him almost duplicating my earlier reunion with my family. T-dog wrapped his arms around Jacqui and I could tell from here that poor man was crying.

Shane had stomped off to his tent. He looked like he was in rough shape too, _**bastard**_. Dale had quickly gathered a very despondent Andrea into his arms. She promptly burst into tears and they disappeared off into his RV.

Rick looked at Shane's retreating back and I kept my hold on his arm. With a shake of my head I led him towards Gloria and her family past Jacqui and T-dog. It looked like Carol was taking care of a jittery pale Glenn; it kind of looked like he just managed to escape death

Gloria was glaring at Shane's tent with a vengeance. When she turned to me her eyes softened. "Laura." She held my hands and stared directly into my eyes.

"Yes?" I wondered why she was in my space bubble for once. She always usually kept a bubble away from me. I think she was suspicious of how we got along so well during the apocalypse.

"You and your family need to leave. Get as far and fast away from that _bastardo_ Shane. They went through some _**messed **__**up **__**shit**_ back in the city. My husband said that Shane _cuffed _Merle to the roof, used Glenn as _walker bait_, and _left_ Amy when she was caught on a nail while they were trying to get out. Amy had been saying that they shouldn't have left anyone behind because they just disagreed with what Shane said. It was the first decent thing that girl had ever said and he backhanded her for it. Her sweater got caught on the nail afterwards. _**That man is not sane**_." She kissed my head at this point while I processed what she had just whispered. Rick kept shaking his head; I don't know why though.

"Stay safe. My family and I are going to go now that Mitchell is back. It's not safe with him around." She gave me a hug and gave Rick one as well. She started gathering her family and all their things into their car. We would have to give them a proper goodbye before they left.

"Rick? What are you thinking about?" I looped my arm around his waist and stared up at him memorizing his every feature.

"We need to save him, and I need to have a discussion with Shane. This has gotten out of hand." His eyes were steely and looking out into the distance at something that I couldn't see. Perhaps he was having a flashback.

"Sweetheart?" I hated it when he closed off on me.

He looked down at me and managed to smile, "We'll sort this out, sweet pea."

I didn't like what that might entail, but I put that to no mind while we heard Andrea yelling at Shane at a distance. They were certainly going to bring a horde down here with all that noise. Jeeze... From what I gathered while we passed by Shane's tent was that Andrea didn't trust Shane anymore since he got Amy killed in her eyes. We didn't stay long enough to hear his reply.

I waved to our group. They had gathered around the entrance of our tent and Carol was making sure that Glenn had on the shock blanket. He still looked like was shaking like a leaf. I made sure to leave Rick with Morgan and Jenny; I didn't want him doing something stupid. I had a feeling that he would though. After I made my way over to where Glenn hand plunked himself down, I gave him a hot chocolate sprinkled with a little calming drought. I made sure to add peppermint to hide the calming droughts after taste; it wouldn't do to have Glenn accuse me of drugging him…even if I was.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Daryl came back in the same way as the show, tracking a dear that had just gotten bit. Carol shot the walker in the head with her silenced sniper before she slowly walked over to him to calm him down. I introduced him to Morgan, Jenny, and Rick. He was as calculating as ever with his initial silence, but I think after hunting with Carol for a while now his frosty silence had melted.

"Good to meet you, Sheriff." He tipped his invisible cowboy hat and a small smile crawled onto his face. Glancing around he saw that the Morales family was packing up along with Jacqui and T-dog. A frown marred his face after the realization that Merle wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"Have ya'll seen Merle? Did he go off on his own to think about 'things' again?" He shook his head. I could feel a pit of dread spread in my chest. Do I break the news to him? I started twisting the ring on my thumb and shuffling my feet. I didn't wanna break the news to him as cowardly as that was, but I would if I had to. Gathering what little courage I had for this I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything Gloria had came over and interrupted me.

"Alright, boys and girls; do you all want to say adios before we head off into the great unknown?" She sounded like she might cry even though she was smiling. Her big mane of curly hair was tied back into a tight braid. I had never seen her so put together.

"Yeah, we'll all give you guys a proper goodbye." I stated prolonging the inevitable; I was surprised that Daryl hadn't said anything. However, when I turned back around I noticed that Carol had whispered something to him that made him look curious.

"Alright, but I wanna know about Merle after all this is done," Daryl looked at us with a quirked brow while we all gathered to say goodbye to the Morales, Jacqui and T-dog; sans Shane, Dale and Andrea.

"Did you guys have enough supplies?" I wanted to makes sure to give them plenty of supplies to make their journey easier without revealing my magic. I wasn't close enough to them to give them any protective necklaces or warding stickers...too many questions from too many people especially if they showed them to anyone that they could come across.

Jacqui grinned down at me before encasing me in her arms. She kissed both of my cheeks, "Stay safe sugar. If you need us just pop on over to DC, you'll always have a place with us. Thank you so much for all the supplies. Will you guys be alright with what you have?" I could always count on Jacqui to worry about our dwindling supplies, she had her priorities straight.

"Yeah, we'll be fine." I would miss them, but they would all be fine…I hoped.

"It was nice to meet you all." Rick gave them one of his charming grins which in turn caused the others to laugh. Morgan and Jenny had come out to say goodbye with Carol and the kids in tow.

"It was nice seeing some actual people. I hope you'll all stay safe." Jenny said before giving everyone a hug. She was always a hugger; it was funny when she did her thing now though. I suppose the apocalypse changes people's view points on touching. Morgan agreed with her sentiments.

While Gloria and Mitchell put the last of their supplies into their car Emily and Jason, their kids, were saying goodbye to our kids. Emily gave Judith her doll, in this dimension instead of Sophia. Sophia hugged the girl tightly to her chest. I could see that she had traded one earring with the girl. I would have to carve runes into her new one. I wondered how well that earring would protect them since it wasn't half as strong. Oh well…I certainly wouldn't be able to find out now.

Carol hugged Jacqui and T-dog goodbye, "It was wonderful camping out with you."

Jacqui giggled and T-dog grinned, "It was great having you guys with us. Thanks for feeding us and keeping us safe too, Daryl." He gave Daryl a firm pat on the shoulder.

Daryl looked shocked, but it slipped off his face as easily as it appeared, "Yer welcome." He sounded so sheepish and cute from that simple acknowledgement. I could see why Carol really liked this man, he was sweet. I noticed that he only really spoke a lot to Carol and Merle, and a little to the rest of us, but never a lot to his original group. I wondered if I would ever get the full story. Maybe after this kerfuffle with Shane was over I'd get my answers.

Dale only came out to give them a short polite goodbye, which I thought was kind of cold. We could sort of understand though since Andrea was near cationic because of the loss of Amy. Dale would have his hands full with that one.

As they drove off, I wondered what this new development would mean. The kids scampered off into our tent with Morgan and Jenny, "Bonding time?"

Morgan chortled, "Yup. Join us when you're all ready?"

I nodded and noticed that Rick had a thoughtful look on his face, "Honey?"

Rick smiled and kissed me quickly, "It's nothin' darlin'."

Carol took Daryl aside, Rick and I were going to go join Morgan, Jenny and the kids in the tent to give them some privacy, but she stopped us from leaving. I think she needed moral support. I think she was going to take the direct approach.

She sat Daryl down at the picnic table near our tent, "Pookie. Shane cuffed Merle to the roof."

Daryl just sat slack jawed for a while before he started shaking, "That **bastard**." He stomped over to Shane's tent.

"You _mother fucking_ asshole! You **left** my brother there! Show me where he is! I _**know**_ he's still alive." Daryl was yelling and shaking the tent ferociously. I wondered if all the noise from this campground had attracted walkers. I was finding it odd that none had chanced upon our campsite again. It was a bad sign, I think.

Shane came out of the tent pushing Daryl back. Before Daryl could deck him Carol held him back while Rick held back Shane. "We'll just go and get your brother, Daryl. Right, Shane?" There was a clear threat insinuated if Shane said no. I could clearly see him leering at me and the calculating glint in his eyes did not go unnoticed. He was planning something.

"Sure, Rick. I always meant to go back for him." The slimy scumbag stated.

Daryl spat at him, while Carol rubbed his shoulders, "I'll come back with you guys Rick. It's always good to have an extra set of eyes." Shane scowled at Carol. I hoped that she would shot Shane and somehow cover it up, but I doubt Rick would let her.

"Glenn should come too if we need an extra set of eyes. He knows where everything is." Shane was trying to do something by bringing Glenn with them. I wouldn't stand for it, but Daryl beat me to it.

"He's already shaken like a leaf. I doubt that someone who needs to recover from whatever you put him through should come." Daryl ground out. I beamed at him. He was certainly an upstanding guy.

Shane glowered, "Fine. We can go now then." He violently pulled himself out of Rick's grip. My husband was glaring at him, I wondered if he was coming around to the idea that Shane wasn't as good of a guy that he thought he was.

Daryl looked like a wilted leaf, "We have to get him back…Merle never left me behind…we can't just leave him behind either…"

Carol looped her arms around him, "We'll get him back, Pookie."

Rick nodded and looked down at me, "We'll come back soon Laura. Take care of the others and make sure Glenn is okay. I love you."

I tiptoed and kissed him, "I love you too." While they packed up supplies and guns, I had an awful feeling about this. Of course I wanted them to retrieve Merle, but at the same time I thought that Shane had something up his sleeve. I kept waving until the van that they were all in disappeared off the horizon. How was I going to explain this to the kids?

I went into our tent and found that the kids were all snoozing and Morgan and Jenny were curled up on the couch near them. The Smart TV was quietly playing one of the Shrek movies. I smiled; maybe Rick and the others would come back before any of them woke up. I could only hope.

I spotted Glenn getting some much needed sleep in the recliner. I would expect a bunch of questions from him later, but if Morgan and Jenny had let him in that meant he was trustworthy. There were deep frown lines on his face; no one ever deserved to be walker bait. Shane was a horrible human being.

I took a seat at the kitchen island that faced the entrance of the tent. I left a little of the tent flaps open; the campground clearing was clear of any people…Dale was watching Andrea in his van so no one else was out there. I would keep watch this time. I took a gun out from under the counter and looked at it in my hands. Everyone would be safe.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Hours had passed on by and everyone was still sleeping. My eyes felt heavy and the warm sunshine spilling in through the blinds was making me oh so comfortable. I heard a car engine and straitened up. It was the van! I ran out towards the car, with a gun holster strapped to my thigh; I didn't want to chance it. There was blood all over the van, and that wasn't there before. Stealthily making my way to the drivers side, I yanked open the door gun in hand. Merle tumbled out. He was pale and he looked he was going to keel over, his left hand was gone and just a stump of a wrist remained.

He looked up at me, a smile crinkling his face, "I made it."

"That you did." I helped him up and managed to get him to the picnic table.

He explained what happened. Merle was arguing about how they didn't really need supplies because we provided for them along with him and his brother. Shane didn't agree and his temper got away from him, but Merle was always one to fight back. However, this time he didn't expect Shane to smack him in the head with a pipe while his back was turned. Merle didn't think Officer Friendly would be that shady.

"Where's my brother, sugar tits?" He managed to sit up while I looked at his stump. I could certainly clean and disinfect this. Re-growing his hand would be easy with a couple potions that we had on hand. He was lucky that I came from a future where this was considered a simple cut.

"They went back for you, and you took the van that they had taken to get there." I figured being blunt would be the best thing right now.

Merle went quiet and further paled. I thought that he might pass out from this. I had his left arm in my lap. I decided right then and there that he could be trusted. With a couple flicks and twists of my wrist I unwrapped his wound and charmed it clean, disinfected and in stasis. With a gentle wave of my hand I applied a conjured healing salve.

"Fuck. Why did Darilina decided to go and get into this mess? He knows that I'll **always** come back from him, stupid kid. Now he's stuck with some psycho in a city crawling with walkers." Merle pulled at his short strands of hair with his right hand. He hadn't noticed that the pain in his hand was gone and that his color was coming back.

I would have to get him to drink some blood replenishing potion along with a pepper up potion later on. My magic would have to explained though, drat.

"He's with my husband and Carol. They'll watch his back." I applied some salve on his wound and decided to conjure up some hot chocolate mixed with blood replenishing potion. The pepper up potion could come later. I gently pushed the cup towards him. He was still oblivious to the magic I was performing in front of him. If the consequences weren't so dire I would've laughed.

He nodded and took the hot chocolate with his right hand, first sipping it slowly then gulping down quickly. I had found out recently when I had chatted with him last that he had a weakness for chocolate.

Andrea had stepped out of the RV and spotted Merle. Her face contorted in rage at Merle, and she started yelling again; why did he get to live while Amy didn't?

Dale luckily took her away back to the RV. She seriously had a loud mouth and bad attitude in this dimension. At least the one from the show wasn't as god damn irritating as this one. He mouthed an apology to us after he left Andrea alone in the RV to figure things out. Dale pointed up to the top of the RV; he was going to keep watch again. I wondered if he was going to mourn privately up there. I know that he considered Andrea and Amy like his daughters; they apparently looked like them from what I could find out from Gloria.

Merle finally placed down his mug, sans hot chocolate, and raised his eyebrow at his healing stump. "That bitch needs to keep her mouth shut. Amy was a good kid despite her bad attitude. Andrea is just as nuts as Shane though. S'not like I did anything to the kid." He scoffed, "Your man, and the fox will take of my brother though, right?" I could tell that he was trying to quell his rising anxiety about his brother's safety.

I nodded and conjured up a cookie laced with pepper up potion. He took the cookie without complaint or question shoving it into his mouth and chewing. His lack of reaction was starting to freak me out. Was he magic too? I think I may have started freaking out quietly while I looked over his rapidly disappearing wounds. My healing salve was working quite well.

Merle saw the odd look that I was giving him before he barked out a short sad laugh after swallowing, "The dead are walking and eating the shit outta people, sugar tits. Ain't nothin' in this world's gonna shock o'le Merle now. Besides that, magic is more of a **better** surprise than doomsday coming down on us. It's mighty useful too. Do you think I could have my hand back?" He had lopsided grin, one that I had never seen before, and I knew I would have to get to know this Merle better.

If I wouldn't dare let myself compare Lori and me, I wouldn't compare the Walking Dead Merle with this one either; it wouldn't be fair to either of us.

I nodded and looked at the setting sun behind us, "I could essentially re-grow your hand, but it would take about a week with a lot of re-growth potion along with healing salves, pain relief potions, blood replenishing potions, and cleaning charms. You'd have to rest up during that week too. Are you willing to go through that?"

His smile softened, "Just getting it back would be great, Laura. Thank you."

That was the first time ever that Merle had called me by my name and not sugar tits. It was odd seeing this side of him. My phone vibrated and I could feel my charms heating; Carol's cookie, and Rick's sheriff hat. I picked up and answered it, which surprised Merle, a working phone astounded him more than magic; go figure.

"Hello?" I could hear walker moans and groans on the other line. My charms were still hot and the skin underneath the charms felt almost like it was burning.

"Laura." Carol whispered. Why was she whispering?

"What's going on?" I whispered back, it seemed appropriate to whisper. Merle had a distressed look on his face. He got up and started pacing shooting me worried looks while I talked on the phone.

"We're cornered, Shane is dead, but we're alright in general minus some stuff. Could you portkey us back? The walkers have us surrounded and the glass is cracking." She sounded so calm despite the chaos around her. I wondered how she did it.

I nodded to myself, "Get everyone into a huddle and I'll portkey you to my side right away." I ended the call and made my way into the clear part of the campground.

"What's going on? Is Daryl okay?" Merle couldn't stop pacing.

"They'll be okay I'm bringing them back now." I made sure there was plenty of room. I didn't want someone landing on me and my pregnant belly.

"How are you bringing them back?" He was certainly curious, this Merle.

"Like this." I pulled at magic that linked the portkey that Carol was wearing to my magical core. It felt like unlocking a heavily bolted door, tedious but necessary. I would definitely prefer actually portkeying in comparison to bringing someone to me via portkey. This was safer for pregnant folks though.

It only took a minute, but it felt much longer to me, when a weathered and bloody Carol, Rick and Daryl appeared on the ground in a pile in front of me. I felt exhausted. This much magic all at once felt draining. I would have to rest after this, maybe I would even be able to cuddle with my husband.

"Daryl?" Merle kneeled down looking at his bruised brother.

Daryl looked up and saw Merle, who looked alright despite not having a hand, "Merle?"

Merle shook his head and gathered his younger brother in a one armed hug, "Stupid."

Daryl grinned at him and shook his head too, "Stubborn." He returned his brother's 'manly' hug.

Carol had gotten up and got me in a fierce embrace whispering a quiet thank you into my hair before releasing me into my husband's arms.

"Laura I'm so sorry." Rick looked horrible. I would get what happened out of him sooner or later. Instead of answering I just kissed his dirtied face, "Oh honey."

Dale interrupted our tearful reunion by coming back down from the RV roof.

"A herd of walkers a couple miles away is coming our way." There were clearly fear in his eyes.

Rick nodded, "We'll get everything and go. Are you coming with us?" He still had his arms tightly encircling me. Carol had gone into the tent after she heard what Dale had said. I was glad I had tied in a shrinking charm with all our things. It would literally take seconds to get our camp stored away.

Dale bobbed his head, "There's safety in numbers."

We all made our way to pack our stuff and we were ready to go in mere moments. I floated Glenn into the SUV since he was still deeply asleep, I may have also put some dreamless sleep in his drink along with a pepper up. I couldn't quite recall.

I had shrunk Merle's bike upon his request. Apparently it was one of the first things he had gotten after he saved up enough money when he was still working as a janitor.

The kids, Merle, and Daryl piled into our SUV with Carol. I had made sure to expand the inside of the SUV; we wouldn't be leaving anyone behind. Morgan, Jenny, and Duane were going in their car while Dale and Andrea were going in their RV. I stuck another sticker onto Morgan's car making it so that their fuel would keep refilling automatically. It wouldn't be good if they ran out of fuel half way to wherever we were going. I knew that we wouldn't be going to the CDC or Fort Benning this time. Jenner would have to die alone without the knowledge that he was wrong and the world hadn't crumbled, crazy man that he was.

During the long drive down the road I noticed that we had taken the road towards the Greene farm. Life was certainly funny and it seemed to me that there were fixed points in time. Looking around at my family and new friends, I hoped that not all things were fixed in time. I wouldn't stand for their deaths; my heart wouldn't be able to handle it.

Rick smiled at me as the sun set behind us, "You and the baby okay?"

I grinned back at him showing off my dimples, "Yep." I brought the hand he wasn't using to steer to my mouth, kissing it fondly, "As long as I have you, we'll be okay."

He let out a short quiet laugh, "And I you, Laura, and I you." He kissed my hand in return.

lllllllllllllllllllllllll

To be continued...

llllllllllllllllllllllll

**Sneak Peak plot points: **

October is here. Andrea gets shot. Sophia runs. Laura's baby bump is getting to be visible. Who lives? Who dies? We'll find out next time in Chapter nine.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hiraeth**

Noun - homesickness tinged with grief or sadness over a lost home that can never be returned to.

**Story Premise:**

Persephone Pines former muggleborn Hufflepuff unspeakable tossed into the walking dead dimension after a botched up portal take down at work. This is an alternate universe Walking Dead.

This story is rated M for future scenes and vulgarity. You have been warned.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Be warned, this is an alternate universe story so things will be different at times. This is not a happy rainbows and pink kitten fluff story. It may be a dark at times. If that's not what you wanted, there are many other great stories to pursue out there.

Reviews mean that I keep going and update sooner. Flames are not appreciated or welcomed. Remember what Thumper the rabbit said in the movie Bambi. If you have nothing nice to say, then don't say it. If you have constructive criticism, go ahead and give it, that's always welcomed.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

I'm sorry for how long this chapter took. My grandfather died recently…and I really couldn't do much of anything for awhile. Besides that, I've been trying to expend any extra energy I had into finding a better regular job as soon as I can. April hasn't been a great month so far.

**Thank you to the awesome reviewers lorna, mabel, and anon91. You guys are the people who motivate me to continue this despite the really shitty sequence of events in my life at the moment. **

**Thank you to the following people who either put my story on their favorites list and or followed my story: **

**fallenz, PokemonNarutoLover, kemo9005, catschmi, anon91**

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

**Chapter Nine**

**Fixed Points**

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

It was October first officially now, I had checked on my digital watch once the clock had indicated it was midnight. Rick had traded with Carol during our long drive away from the herd. We were sitting in the back with Glenn still snoozing beside us while Carol had Daryl sitting beside her up front. A talk about magic would have to happen with Glenn, and possibly a magical oath about silence. That man couldn't keep a secret that well in the beginning, if the show was any indication to anything.

We'd also have to break the news to Daryl some how. I leaned against my husband's shoulder as the early morning darkness faded away as the hours passed on by. Rick fell asleep along with most of the other people in our SUV. Carol kept driving murmuring quietly with Daryl while she drove. I supposed that this was the best time for an explanation since Glenn seemed to be stirring and Daryl was still wide awake.

I poked his shoulder a couple times, and after the fifth time Glenn opened his eyes. He was disoriented for a while, but once he looked around at where he was he looked rather wary.

"Where am I?" He rubbed his eyes and gave our vehicle and it's occupants a worried look, "What happened?" Crossing his arms he took in how big the vehicle was on the inside.

I looked over to the front of the car noting that Carol had stopped murmuring with Daryl. He was looking back at me with an expectant look. This was definitely the time for explanations.

"A herd was coming on through our campsite so we packed up and started driving away. We're in the leading car with Morgan and his family along with Dale and Andrea following behind us. Some shady shit happened before that which in turn caused the return of Merle, who's napping behind you. Shane's apparently dead, but I don't know what happened since no one's told me. I portkeyed them here." I made sure to straighten my back and to keep my voice calm throughout my statement only slightly leaning on Rick at this point.

Daryl raised an eye brow while looking back at us fully. "Carol was tellin' me that you had _talents_. What'd she mean by that, Laura?"

I sighed refusing to panic even internally even though I felt my anxiety building. If I had to have this conversation again it would be on my terms, plus I wanted to be comfortable. Glenn looked at me tilting his head to the side, "Talents?"

"I've already told your brother, and everyone else knows besides Dale and Andrea. However, I do suppose Dale has probably seen since he's been watching over everything and everyone from atop his RV. Merle took it really well, and when I had explained it to the kids when they were little they called it a hack." I was rambling and I didn't see how I could stop, the nervous energy that swirled around my chest wasn't stopping its undulating motion.

Carol luckily felt my unease and stepped in, "You can do it, little bean."

I cleared my throat when I saw that Glenn was smiling goofily at me, "Little bean." He was snickering and Daryl was rolling his eyes at Glenn. At the current moment I liked Daryl more than Glenn.

"I'm magic; or rather I can perform feats of magic. Like how this SUV of originally six is holding nine people." I released the breath that I had apparently been holding. I hoped that neither one of them wanted me to prove it to them in some big spectacular way. The confines of this SUV were not as roomy as compared to our lovely tent.

Glenn stopped snickering while a thoughtful look crossed Daryl's face while he sat back normally in his seat. I could see him glance at Carol for confirmation, when she nodded I felt like I would cry. At the end of the day, no matter how scary she was sometimes, Carol would always have my back.

Glenn looked at me tilting his head side to side like he couldn't quite figure out what that meant, "Magic?"

"Mhmm." I couldn't discern why it was such a strange concept to him. I mean seriously, the dead are reanimating, walking around, and eating any living thing they could get their grimy hands on. How odd was magic in comparison to that?

Daryl snorted, "It's better than the dead risin' that's fer sure." I nodded in agreement with his statement. Damn straight.

Glenn was staring so hard at me that it was freaking me the fuck out, "What?" I kept my voice down, but I couldn't manage to hide my irritation.

This made Glenn grin and I made sure my husband wasn't stirring before I pinched Glenn's cheek roughly, "Whhhaaat?"

Even through the pain Glenn wouldn't stop his damn smiling, "So you're like Harry Potter, right?" Once I had seen that my cheek pinching wasn't doing anything I promptly let go.

I let out a snorting laugh while Daryl shook his head. Those books came out here just like they did in my world, but since there wasn't a magical society in place here there wasn't an outcry about the loss of secrecy. I raised my eyebrow at Glenn offering him a lopsided smile, "I have magic, but I'm certainly not as powerful as Harry Potter."

Glenn had an astounded look on his face and sat back against his seat looking at the seat in front of him. "Huh."

"Yup." I was hoping that this conversation was going to be over, but then Daryl spoke up.

"They real too?" It was the only real question about magic he had given me so I felt obliged to answer him.

"I don't think so, at least not that I know of. Even if they are; they'd all in England. The books didn't really mention the international relations between magical people and muggles. I have also never met another magical person here in the states, so I really wouldn't know who to contact." The slur 'muggle' felt bitter against my tongue, but I didn't want them asking why I called 'muggles' the better term 'mundanes'.

Daryl nodded and I could see that he still had a smile on his face. The Dixions took things rather well on a whole, it was a pleasant surprise.

Glenn had a contemplative look on his face now before he broke out into another grin. I should've drugged him some more. Wait. Did that make me a bad person? Nah. He was just really irritating right now.

"So, you're like our _hack_ against the walker doomsday." He looked triumphant like he found the cheat code to unlimited money in the Sims. I doubt he recalled me saying that the children had already stated that earlier. "Like we'll need food or water or someone gets sick, but **BAM**. _Magic_. Problem solved." He looked giddy. I _did not_ expect this. I glanced around me and saw that the kids were pretending to sleep. They didn't really do a good job since I could spot their grinning faces and silently shaking shoulders. Rick was trying to hide a smile with his eyes still closed. Was everyone enjoying this conversation, but me? I checked on Merle and found that he was the only person really asleep.

I pouted and snuggled into Rick's shoulder before pinching him slightly, "You all suck."

"It's true though mom. Magic **is** a _hack_ and our _life saver_." Carl put in his two cents. Judy was chipper when she added, "It's what makes you **super mom**." Sophia nodded along with my daughter. I suppose pretend sleeping is over now. I smiled at them while I rolled my eyes.

Glenn brightened suddenly, I could totally tell that he was a Harry Potter fan; he was a really cool guy in real life. I hoped that if they did exist in this universe that they were safe. They had changed the magical world from where I had come from. "Sooo...could you show us Hogwarts? Or some other cool magic stuff the next time we stop?"

I sighed and the children bounced. God. Did someone feed them sugar behind my back again? It was probably Merle; he had an odd sense of humor. Bah. "It's doomsday so no on the Hogwarts. I could show you my memories of that though, and sure. You can watch me re-grow Merle's hand."

"What?" Glenn looked weireded out while he crossed his arms.

"He lost his hand." I hoped that someone would have the good sense to change the topic. Daryl looked irritated and glared out of his passenger window probably at something or someone that wasn't there anymore.

"_Ooookay_...I'm not gonna ask...Any ways...does that mean your kids are magic too? Oh! I would _love _to be able to do magic..." Glenn sighed wistfully. I tilted my head and really looked at Glenn for once. I forgot how young he really was. I think he was a good ten years or so younger than me.

Judy piped in, "Yep yep yep. Me and Carl are magic too!" I wondered how Merle could sleep like a rock throughout this entire commotion. I wish I could do that.

Carl rolled his eyes a grin slipping onto his face, "The lessons are boring sometimes, but the practical part is great."

"Are any of you other guys magic?" This dude was super curious. My own husband never asked me this many questions about magic, neither did Jenny. Actually...now that I really thought about it they just accepted it as something apart of me. Maybe their curiosity was never really peaked? I didn't want to bother asking; I liked how things were between us. Carol took everything in stride after I managed to make Ed disappear, and Morgan was already really into magic. Mind you, he was more into pulling bunnies out of hats, but it was still magic.

Carol snorted and I could tell she was grinning in the rearview mirror, "Nope. I don't really know about Sophia though. She's never had any accidental magic as a child so far, so Laura's stayed away from giving her lessons. IF something shows up then lessons start, if not then she gets enchanted, charmed, warded, or rune carved things from her instead."

Daryl looked intrigued, "Whats that mean?"

Rick couldn't hold back his grin any more and sluggishly opened his eyes to stare down at me. "That means that my darlin' wife's protecting us."

Sophia shook her head and sat on the edge of her seat poking Glenn on the back of his head, "It means that the stuff she gives us isn't just to look nice. It helps with stuff."

"Stuff like what?" Glenn had sat on the edge of his seat facing Sophia when she had invaded his personal space.

"Ummm..." Sophia struck a thinking pose, and I just laughed. This conversation had gotten out of hand.

"Glenn." I stated in my warmest and parental tone possible. He turned toward me reddening a little; I think he recognized the tone.

"Yesss?"

I snorted pulling my face into my husband's shoulder and let the grin that I had been fighting back slip onto my face. My dimples pinched my cheeks, "Magic is a hack. We'll be fine for the most part. If you have any more questions you can ask 'em later. I'm tired and pregnant. I'm going to sleep now."

"Wait, you're _pregnant_?" This also surprised Glenn and had everyone chuckling or rolling their eyes.

I could feel my husband quietly laughing, "That she is Glenn. Now let my wife sleep and I'll show you something neat." I closed my eyes and snuggled against Rick some more.

I could feel him moving towards the middle console and heard that he flipped something down. Carol let out a tinkling laugh while Daryl asked what the slim black thing was. Rick turned on the smart TV panel and the kids got to enjoy some cartoons. Glenn was so surprised that he was silent from what I could tell. I didn't wait to hear Carol or Rick's answer as I slipped away into the warm arms of slumber.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

The sun was at the zenith of the sky when we had to stop on a very familiar highway when Dale's RV broke down. At least that's what my husband had told me. We had all piled out of our vehicles. I groggily rubbed my eyes against the glare of the sun and noted that it was the same highway of abandoned cars from the show. It was a clear hot day today. Yawning I stretched out managing to crack my back, I let out a relieved sigh.

Dale was looking under the hood of his car with a hard frown on his face. Glenn was taking a look at it with Daryl at his side. They both knew a thing or two about cars.

We all took our pee breaks in pairs going in and out of the RV. Morgan tipped an imaginary hat at me indicating that everything was good on his end. Glenn and Daryl were fixing up what was wrong with the RV by scavenging from the nearby car. I was glad that they didn't ask me to conjure up a new whatever.

Dale in response to their reassurance that they could fix it, decided to do look out for our backs by being the lookout on top of the RV. I don't know why he liked that job so much, perhaps he found peace up there.

Andrea scowled at all of us when we used their RV and Merle scowled back after doing his business. It wasn't like it was safe to just take a piss anywhere while there were walkers out there.

Carol, Morgan and Jenny were all talking over by their car when it happened. The people around the RV, me and the kids heard him first, "Walkers dead ahead a couple minutes away." He then disappeared from our view probably laying himself flat on the RV roof. I saw Andrea scramble into the RV. I knew she'd probably make noise and a scene if we joined her. I pulled down Judy and Carl with me underneath the RV. Sophia ducked underneath the car beside the RV.

I looked around to the best of my ability and noted that the walkers were coming in droves for some reason. Were they following something or someone? Did herds function like pack hunting groups?

Carol, Morgan, and Jenny had ducked into their car. Rick had pulled Duane into our SUV, and I spotted Daryl and Glenn under a car a couple feet away. I was hoping that this walker horde would pass by without incident.

Judy looked like she was about to cry and I kept my hold on her tight kissing her head while Carl huddled closer to me. This was by far the worst situation we had been in so far. The walkers stayed away from the SUV and Morgan's car as I had expected. The charms that the kids and I were wearing would have to suffice for protection for now.

Sophia bit her lip and looked longingly at our little huddle. Judy locked eyes with her and pouted. Sophia mouthed that it would be okay. Soon enough the herd had almost dissipated but one reached down near Sophia's head. This promptly triggered her fight and flight response even though she was as quiet as a mouse about it. The walker groaned and followed after her and I felt my heart clench. Damn it.

However, before she could get far she disappeared from view. It was just a shimmer and then she wasn't there anymore. With the last walkers far far away Rick and the others ran towards and Carol looked around for her daughter frantically with her eyes. Her lips were pressed into a thin line. "Where's Sophia?"

Andrea exited from the RV for a moment scoffing, "If the stupid kid ran off it's her own fault."

I was tempted to bitch slap this woman. "Just because you're still grieving doesn't give you the _**right**_ to treat everyone like shit. Dale?" I called up to him and saw his head peer over from where he was, "Please keep Andrea away from us." Andrea let out an unflattering sound before she let the door slam and disappeared back into the RV. "Sorry guys." Dale called out quietly getting off the roof.

Carol's eyes were tight, "Laura."

I nodded while Rick looked at where Sophia had disappeared along with the walkers. I kept my grip on his arm tight, "Laura...I need to go after her."

Daryl had the same determined look on his face, "Let's go."

Carol frowned at them, "Laura can just pop her back right here." She made sure her voice was quiet enough for only us to hear.

Morgan fidgeted, "Laura?" I knew what they were asking and I felt around my magical core. I was still good.

Jenny put her hand on my shoulder and gave me an encouraging smile. Judy was holding both of the boys back from pacing. We made our way back to our respective vehicles. Merle was the first one to speak up when we were all seated again, "Sooo...now?"

I found that it was odd that Sophia's charm, a minion, hadn't heated up or blackened. Her disappearance reminded me of accidental magic. I would have to look her over soon after we found her, but before I could do anything the SUV door opened, although no one was there.

Sophia's voice did sound from the empty space though. She sounded like she was crying, "Aunt Laura. I'm sorry I ran off..." She sniffled and all our eyes went wide, Carol's face had softened once she realized what had happened. "Mom...I..I-I'm invisible and I don't know how to turn back. It made the walkers leave me alone, but I can't turn back now." She was quietly sobbing now.

Carol took her invisible daughter into her arms into the SUV closing it firmly behind them. I could see silent tears stream down her face. "Young lady, never run off like that again!"

I let out a relieved breath gently prying Carol off of her daughter. I held onto what I though were Sophia's shoulders, "Oh Soph."

Sophia sniffled, "I'm sorry Aunt Laura. I'm sorry Mom. Am I going to be invisible forever now?" She sounded so sad.

Merle snorted, "Kid for scaring the hell outta us we should let you be invisible during a time out or something."

Carol scowled at that thought and gave Merle a pointed look, "That's a pretty bad punishment."

He shrugged and offered a smile which she returned eventually, "It was just an idea, Fox."

Carl snorted and Judy elbowed him. Rick quietly scolded both of them. Glenn looked mesmerized that someone was invisible, and Daryl kept poking the still quietly crying Sophia.

I shook my head at all of them and saw Carol looking at where Sophia was with such a tender look on her face. I pulled at my magical core and let the word finite flow to my finger tips. She slowly reappeared, letting out a happy surprised gasp. I chuckled, "You certainly know how to reveal your magic, Soph."

Carl pouted, "I wanna learn how to turn invisible too." I shook my head at my son and Rick pulled both of our children closer kissing them both, "Nope. Right, sweet pea?"

Merle shrugged, "It could be handy."

Daryl nodded, "Definitely with hunting. Could you make us invisible too sometimes, Laura?"

I let out a tired sigh, "Maybe." I cut off the spell that had spread through Sophia. She was happily grinning looking at her now visible hands and feet. She wiggled her toes in the new sandals I had recently conjured up for her. She threw her arms around me, "THANK YOU AUNT LAURA!" I'm glad our SUV was pretty much sound proof. Carol pat my shoulder, "Thanks, little bean." Everyone laughed.

Life was certainly interesting so far.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

We started driving again around mid afternoon and took another pit stop so everyone could do their business. Andrea had stomped off towards the tree line probably to brood since we were using their facilities again. For an almost forty year old woman she sure was angsty. I knew that people had more facets to them than this, but trying to get to know her led to absolutely no where. I made sure everyone took a turn to go to the toilet so that we didn't have to make another stop just in case. Dale was quite kind about it.

A shot rang out causing everyone to try and find where it had originated. Andrea came out of the tree line clutching her stomach in horror. She gave us a pained look before collapsing to the ground. Dale ran towards her panic clear on his face, and the rest of us stood back giving them space.

Judy tugged my galaxy hoodie sleeve, "What's wrong sweetie?"

She pointed towards Carl, Sophia and Duane who were staring at the fast approaching silhouette of a person. Jenny was holding them back from running towards the figure.

"Honey!?" I called out to Rick who was currently in a conversation with guys. Carol had her sniper out aimed at the oncoming person's face.

"Don't shoot yet, Carol. He might not mean any harm." Rick asked.

The man came upon Andrea and Dale and let out a small cry of dismay. "I'm SO SO SORRY! I thought it was a deer!"

Dale was openly crying while Andrea grunted out in pain, "Please save her."

I felt my gut clench. I could easily save this habitual fuck-up, but that might cause additional problems. Carol had slipped her gun back into place and put a firm hand on my shoulder shaking her head. She could see how I was waffling. Rick noticed too because he pulled me away from the scene. It seems like her fate was already decided. Whatever happened in Atlanta changed my husband. Usually if someone was in need and we could get away with it magically, he always wanted to help as best as we could.

Rick asked the group with one look if we should follow them, just for Dale's sake. Everyone gave him a silent nod. He made sure Carol and Jenny were flanking me with the children. I was slightly irritated. Yes, I was pregnant, but I wasn't an invalid or defenseless. I pouted to make my point known. My son and godson saw this and both gave me a hug. The girls went and started rubbing my back. Damn it.

"There's a farm with a sort of doctor up the ways. I have my truck near here. You can all follow along." Otis nodded to us and hurried along getting Andrea and Dale into his truck. Dale sent us a pleading look and we soon got into our respective vehicles along with Merle volunteering to drive the RV. I was aware that Andrea would have qualms about that if she had been aright, but considering the circumstances, she'd just have to shove it should she ever find out.

We followed after them and saw the farm that would lead us to what was left of the Greene Family. I saw Beth and Maggie coming out of the barn, Jimmy sweeping the porch steps, and I could only assume that Patricia and Hershel were located inside.

Rick glanced at us while he drove our SUV, "So….we all have to keep quiet about the magic thing, alright?"

Everyone nodded and the kids all chirped a 'yes sir'. He made a pointed look at Glenn, which I found hilarious. "That means you Glenn."

Glenn pouted, "I wouldn't. Man…you guys." His arms were crossed, but behind that pout I could certainly see a smile almost forming.

I leaned backward and patted his head a couple times, "I'm glad." That got him to smile melting away his prior pout.

We rolled onto the front of their house with our SUV, Dale's RV that was being driven by Merle, and the car Morgan was driving. I made sure to activate the confundus charm that I had around the occupancy of the car. Those kinds of questions in a predicament like this would be unnecessary.

We all climbed out of the SUV while everyone else exited their chosen vehicles. Merle slapped Rick on the shoulder with a big grin on his face, "Looks like we have a base of some sort to settle for a while, eh cowboy?"

Rick made a bemused face, "I suppose. Merle, it's nice to meet you. I'm sorry about Shane."

Merle shook his head and glanced around to make sure that the Greenes hadn't come out to 'greet' us yet. I had noted that Otis had shuffled the bleeding Andrea and a contrite Dale into the house right quick completely ignoring us as it were. I had a pretty good hunch that Merle had enough time to say whatever he wanted at this point.

"S'not yer fault, cowboy. Shane was one crazy motherfucker. I'm just glad yer little lady can fix what that sonnabitch did." He gestured to me with his good hand and gave me a thumbs up, "I'd like to be able to make this guy jokes in the future with two thumbs."

His hand was healing nicely from the salve that I had been putting on him along with all the disinfecting charms, and re-growth potion he had been consuming. For the fourth day of healing it looked like half his had was back and all he was missing were his fingers. They would grow back too with our continued regime of potions and charms. This would probably partially explain his good mood this entire trip.

"I'll make sure that if anyone so much as asks they'll get the sudden urge to do something else." A confundus here, a confundus there; no one would be any the wiser. I made sure that the kids had stuck to Carol before I gave Rick a bear hug kissing his neck all the while, "Shall we?"

Rick kissed my neck in return, "Yup."

Daryl passed by us and snorted, "Love birds." Like he was one to talk considering how he was with Carol in the backseat behind the kids. Pshhh.

Morgan chortled, "Ahhh there's the adorasgusting couple that we know and love." Jenny snorted and gently smacked Morgan on the back of his head. "Oww…woman." He pinched her bottom in retaliation.

The kids were still by the SUV along with Carol. The kids were happily socializing with one another. Carl was telling Duane about the shows they had watched during the trip and I could tell that he wanted dibs on the seat beside Carl should we go back on the road. They were so cartoon obsessed even with walkers eating people's faces. I wondered if they had forgotten that we had a smart TV programmed with their cartoons in our bigger on the inside tent. I pat down my pocket inwardly sighing in relief; I still had all our shrunken gear on me.

I gently rubbed my growing abdomen; month two was easier on me so far comparing my past pregnancies. At the back of my mind I considered how I would be able to give birth this time around. So far all of my pregnancies were easy and hadn't forced me to have a c-section for either child. I certainly wasn't like Lori in that sense. Would we still go to the prison? The pit of dread and anxiety that I tried to keep at the back of my mind bubbled at that thought. Usually the prison meant an encounter with crazy Philip, but would that still happen? Merle was still with us at this point. What about Michonne? Oh! Oh dear…what about her baby? Would we meet her sooner since we came to the farm sooner? Our time lines certainly didn't match up since we didn't end up going to the CDC…All this would give me a headache. I decided to hold off on those thoughts.

I saw that Carol looked hesitant, but deep down inside she was probably more wary about what these people could mean for us. I threaded my fingers with Ricks' and motioned with my head that I would make sure we would be fine. I had recharged enough magic wise that if this indeed was a den of cannibals, they wouldn't bother anyone ever again; I meant that I'd turn them into people goop faster than you can say soylent jam.

Beth and Maggie had cheerfully waved at us while they entered their house and Jimmy had followed suit. They certainly hadn't felt the brunt of what society had turned into if they were still this God damn friendly. We certainly would see how there were now though.

While we all made our way up to there porch and probably into their house through their unlocked door, I wondered…would Otis still die in this dimension? Would Patricia? Were there still walkers in their barn? How would we show them that these things weren't sick? What if I made them suddenly explode? Could I get away with that?

If this place was a fixed point in time where we would meet…would certain deaths be fixed too? I mean look at Shane. He didn't die at the right time because of all his _**crazy**_, and probably Carol's good aim, but he still died nonetheless. I really would have to get the story out of one of them. They've been quite tight lipped about that. I suppose only time will tell.

lllllllllllllllllllllllll

To be continued...

llllllllllllllllllllllll

**Plot point sneak peak: **A barn full of walkers, getting to know the Greenes, a birth, some deaths, and moving ahead. What else will happen? We'll find out next in chapter ten.

The poll will be closed by the time I post up the next chapter since it'll contain the birth of Laura's and Rick's third child, so if you guys wanna vote still there's still time. I'll hopefully see ya'll soon.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hiraeth**

Noun - homesickness tinged with grief or sadness over a lost home that can never be returned to.

**Story Premise:**

Persephone Pines former muggleborn Hufflepuff unspeakable tossed into the walking dead dimension after a botched up portal take down at work. This is an alternate universe Walking Dead.

This story is rated M for future scenes and vulgarity. You have been warned.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Be warned, this is an alternate universe story so things will be different at times. This is not a happy rainbows and pink kitten fluff story. It may be a dark at times. If that's not what you wanted, there are many other great stories to pursue out there.

Reviews mean that I keep going and update sooner. Flames are not appreciated or welcomed. Remember what Thumper the rabbit said in the movie Bambi. If you have nothing nice to say, then don't say it. If you have constructive criticism, go ahead and give it, that's always welcomed.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

I'm sorry this chapter took so long to post. I finally got a job so I haven't had a lot of extra time to write. To make up for the long wait I have made this a ginormous chapter. Because of the size of this chapter; about 30 pages, I had to put the birth into a different chapter. Sorry about that folks. The next one might be quiet long as well since it will introduce Michonne, a surprise, and some other great things.

**I have fixed up this chapter and edited it all on my computer. If there are still some things that I've missed please leave a comment and tell me. I'm currently working on the next chapter so there will be a sneak peak at the end of this chapter. **

**Thank you to the wonderful reviewer Nel. **Maybe some people will and maybe some people won't. You'll find out later on in the story. It'll be a fun surprise.

We will indeed see other people from the show. Just because they didn't meet up in the same way doesn't mean that they won't meet up at all.

I will do my best to describe more of the world around Laura.

I certainly will take that suggestion in mind and see what I can do with it.

I am fleshing out all their different personalities as best as I can with only using Laura's POV, but it's not a fast moving thing because she doesn't quite know everyone as of yet. She's seen them from the show, but she doesn't want to totally judge them on that basis alone. Since it isn't in third person you'll only really see character development and the different facets that may be there through her eyes.

**Thank you to the awesome reviewers Lorna and aishiteru naru. :3**

Thank you to the following people who put my story on their favorites list and or followed my story:

Sue01, anon91, AzmarieLeeLee, Rockcutter28, rhi17

SpongeBob SquarePants belongs to Stephen Hillenburg

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

**Chapter Ten**

**Revelations**

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

The sun shone against a clear cloudless sky, and the light cold breeze wafted through the nearby trees. We stood on their warm wooden porch. The paint had peeled back revealing its oak properties. This was certainly an old farm from what I had noted. The roof, the windows, the shingles, and even the plants on the farm reflected its' age. It certainly didn't function as a large animal farm because there were none present anywhere we looked when we drove in. The air smelt dry with a hint of manure and chickens.

I could hear the kids shuffling their feet; their hesitance to meet new people rang alarm bells in my head. Did they sense the potential danger? They usually looked forward to meeting new people. I frowned and clutched onto Rick's arm some more. He gave me a reassuring grin, and I tried to smile back in the same way. All I really did was see my own anxiety reflected in his bright blue eyes. I tried to keep heart from racing. They didn't seem like the same people from the show. My palms felt sweaty, but before I could voice my concern we had already breached their threshold. We had all made our way into their home; it would seem rude if we just up and left now.

Otis had laid a still bleeding Andrea onto the table. Dale sat beside her on a worn wooden chair. I glanced around quickly noting that this house looked like the very definition of farm country. There was a woman who was fluttering around Otis, and I assumed this was Patricia. I hadn't really paid attention to her in the show, so getting a close up look at her was pretty neat. Her blond hair looked stringy, her completion pale despite the sun, her frazzled eyes were wide, and her face had too many lines for someone who was supposed to be my age. I supposed that keeping their dead loved ones in a barn had taken its toll on her.

Hershel looked exactly as I had expected him to, "Otis, what happened?" He was totally ignoring us for now and that was fine by me. Maggie and Beth had come around with towels, water, and their father's medical bag. I wondered if he would tell us he was a veterinarian.

Carol looked wary at the people that had converged around Andrea. Sure we didn't want much to do with anything involving Andrea, but just giving her to a group of strangers wasn't that nice. Daryl stuck close to Carol and Merle made sure to hide his healing hand behind his back. He was only really missing is fingers by now; the potions, charms, and salves were working wonders.

Morgan and Jenny stuck close behind us shielding the kids with their bodies. It was clear in our body language that we didn't trust them. I wondered if they saw that or if the majority of them overlooked it.

Otis looked guiltily at us while Patricia stroked his back, a worried frown seemingly glued onto her face, "I thought she was a deer...I had been tryin' so hard to find a fuckin' deer..." His eyes watered and he looked away, "I hadn't meant to shoot her. Could you help her doc? It twasn't her fault that I was a bad hunter."

At his words Carol gave Daryl a look that I couldn't quite interpret. Perhaps we wouldn't be leaving as soon as I had wanted. What were those two up to? Did that mean he was a bad shot and wouldn't survive in this world? I resisted the urge to frown; I felt like doing that might lead to something negative with these people.

Hershel gave Otis a disapproving look before he shook his head and sighed, "Otis...what am I going to do with you?" He pressed down on her wound and cleaned it with the supplies that the girls had brought him. They had hoisted themselves up onto a counter and watched with avid interest as their father worked on Andrea.

Jimmy shuffled his feet and took in every one of us with his eyes. He seemed sharper in this dimension. "So...ya'll are welcome here, right Doc? It's the right thing to do since we shot their friend."

Merle looked like he was about to snort and say something that would jeopardize our stay; Rick, who was beside him, made sure to subtly jab him in the ribs. He scowled quietly. Hershel glanced up at us and gave us a curt nod. His face only softened once he noted my slightly growing baby bump and all the children. "Ya'll are welcome here. I'm sorry my friend, Otis, shot one of yours. I'll do my best to stabilize her...My name is Hershel Greene. This is my family and farm." He focused his introduction toward me and the kids. Hmmm old man had a soft spot for pregnant women and children, go figure.

Maggie cleared her throat which stopped her father from continuing. He gave his daughter a chiding look before he returned his attention back to his patient. "Hello. I'm Maggie Greene, daddy's eldest. This is Beth my little sister." She indicated to Beth on her right.

Beth wiggled her fingers at us smiling, "Hiya." She pointed at the general area where Jimmy, Otis and Patricia stood. "The handsome fella over there is my boyfriend Jimmy, and ya'll know who Otis is now. The lovely lady beside 'em is his wife, Patricia." Beth hoped off the counter and tugged at her sister to follow. Maggie reluctantly got down while she rolled her eyes with a small smile. "Now that ya'll know us. Who are you folks?"

Hershel quietly worked on stabilizing Andrea while Dale held onto her hand with a vice grip. He briefly looked up at us with a curious gaze; I supposed that he was also curious about who he had opened his home to.

Maggie was eyeing Glenn in the way that the kids eyed the fudge I made for every Christmas after dinner dessert; clear want and hunger. Glenn noticed it too since he had turned bright red and backed into Morgan letting out a small sound of alarm. Morgan grinned at him.

I decided to bite the bullet and tightened my grip on my husbands' sweaty palm. My other hand lay on my pregnant belly purposefully accentuating it, "my name is Laura Grimes and this is my husband Rick Grimes." Rick nodded polity towards them. "The couple in front of the kids are Morgan and Jenny Jones respectively, the biker looking man beside them is Merle Dixon, and the man beside him and beside my husband, is Daryl Dixon, Merle's brother. The woman behind me is Carol Peletier, and the guy near Maggie is Glenn Rhee. The kids are-"

Duane surprisingly interrupted which meant a reprimand later from his mother; he knew that he shouldn't interrupt someone. "He's Carl Grimes, and the little girl behind him is Judy Grimes. The girl beside Judy is Sophia Peletier, and I'm Duane Jones...Sorta nice to meet you guys I guess."

Jenny had a deep frown on her face, "Duane." The warning tone was clear in her voice. I smiled despite it all; my godson was adorable when he looked sheepish like that.

I could see that Hershel was amused. He nodded towards us before he turned all his attention back to his patient. Maggie saw how we were awkwardly standing there and gestured to the available seats, "Ya'll can follow me and I'll show you around."

She showed us where we could pitch our tents, if we had them, and it was just a couple feet away from their house. I wondered if this change in distance was because of the many more children we had and my slightly visible pregnant belly.

She stated that if we didn't have any tents then they were willing to make room at their house. We saw their empty fields, the fence around their property, the forest nearby, a decently sized chicken coop with a couple of chickens, and a very large barn that wasn't too far from their house. When we asked if we could check out the barn because the kids loved animals, she went stark pale and herded us away. I saw how the group warily looked at the barn after Maggie's reaction. We would all have a discussion about that soon.

Maggie's smile looked strained, "Do ya'll need help setting up?" She kept fiddling with her fingers.

I glanced back at everyone and found that they had wandered back to my SUV and Morgan's car. Rick leaned down and kissed my head before turning back to Maggie, "Nah, we'll be fine. Thank you for askin' though."

Before she could walk away I grabbed her arm, "Will Dale need a tent?"

The tight look on her face dissolved and she smiled again, "Nope. He can bunk with Andrea in the room Beth's hopefully setting up with Jimmy." I let go of her wrist and returned her smile whole she speed walked away.

We walked back to our group, my hand in his back pocket and his hand lightly gripping my waist. The kids looked agitated, Glenn was pacing, the Jones looked concerned, merle and Daryl looked oddly pensive, and Carol was shaking her head.

Rick quirked his eyebrow at our little group, but before I could ask what he was thinking about he let out a little chortle causing everyone to look our way. I waved and managed to pull a small smile onto my face, "What's up guys?"

Jenny pouted and went over pinching my cheek, "We'll talk later, sugar. Morgan and I are gonna get our things outta our car? Are we in your tent?" She grabbed onto Morgan's hand, and he helplessly shrugged.

I nodded, "Sure. Yeah, you guys can go with us. We can just expand the tent for more room. I can't make it too big though; can't spend that much magical energy with a baby."

She gently patted the part of my face that she had pinched before dragging Morgan off to their car. I tilted my head at everyone that was still there. The kids still looked agitated, but they refused to talk for once. Usually all of our kids were very vocal about their wants, needs, and wishes. I didn't know if I liked this change.

Rick squinted at everyone against the sunshine, "What's going on?" I really wanted to know too. Usually we didn't have that many arguments in our group, but that might have been because we were all on the road and had plenty of distractions within the SUV.

Glenn glanced up at us, "Jenny doesn't wanna stay here 'cause of the noises she heard in the barn…but we can't just leave Dale, right?"

Carol shook her head, "Glenn's right, but we _have_ to do something about the noise. What if it's _walkers_?"

Daryl looked wary for some reason before speaking up, "We can deal with the noise, eh Merle? That's not the problem. We can even stay and wait for Dale to come to his senses, but where do we go from _there_?"

Merle nodded, "Yep. Darilina's right. Your lady's gonna _pop_ outta a baby at some point so we can't stay with these farmers for the long haul."

Rick's attention was focused on the others, but the kids had caught my eye with their quiet agitation. Duane was wringing his hands, Judy was bouncing on the balls of her heels, Sophia was biting her lip, and Carl kept bouncing his knee. I wonder if they were waiting their turn to speak like we had taught them growing up. If that was the reason for their quiet agitation, then I would be proud; even in the apocalypse we had polite kids.

Rick sounded calm and confident while he tried to solve this problem, "You're all right. We can't stay here forever. Those sounds could be walkers and therefore a danger to us, and we can't really leave someone behind. I'm sure if we all talk about it we can figure out a compromise that meets everyone's needs."

Carol uncrossed her arms, "So if it is a _walker_ filled barn?"

Rick had his thinking face on and I decided to step in. I didn't want the kids to wait for their turn forever, "We could always show them that these things are dangerous and need to be put down. We can have you, Daryl, and Merle go at them at that point. How's that sound?" Glenn looked relieved when I didn't mention him. I wondered if his hesitance to go against a lot of walkers meant that he still wasn't over being used as walker bait. Would he internalize that in this dimension too?

Carol, Daryl, and Merle nodded in agreement.

Rick kissed the top of my head and I could feel him smile, "All right. So we wait for Dale **before** we leave and during that time we'll deal with the possible danger here. Do you guys have any suggestions as to where we should head to?" At this point I could see that the kids weren't too interested in this conversation because they had moved into the SUV. I think they were going to watch cartoons while we finished up this conversation.

Daryl looked out past the forest and turned back to us, "We should head to the mountains. It'll be safer there."

Merle grunted in agreement, "The mountains would be pretty a good spot for hunting too."

Carol had a curious look on her face, "We could certainly make a new home up in the mountains, but which mountains?"

"It would certainly be safer. Maybe we could head up to the Rockies?" Rick's suggestion had merit, but that was so God damn far…we needed something closer. Some place that we could claim unconditionally. Somewhere we could hide away in without any danger of others finding us and killing us all; either the dead or the living.

I hummed and shook my head. They looked at me curiously. "The mountain idea is great, but we're so _**far**_ from any. Traveling that much and that far could leave us with casualties especially since I will end up having to give birth at some point. How about we head to an island? I know that there's at least one close by, so we'd have a body of water separating us from danger. The closest one is called the Three Sisters Island, I think."

Glenn cleared his throat, "I _know_ that place! It's up in Lake Lanier. Most people get there via ferry. The whole island is uninhabited, but people loved hiking, swimming or fishing up there. How are we going to get to there?" The others nodded in agreement. That would be tricky…still…I looked up at Rick with a pout forming on my face.

"We could go with my wife's idea. There is always a bit of magic if we want to go to that island. It would realistically be a solid safe haven wherein we wouldn't have to worry about someone coming by since the whole getting there would be difficult. We could even ward the entire island so people stay away should they want to try." Rick gave me a warm hug with the arm that still encircled me.

Merle nodded, "The whole place would be a safe haven. It would be easy to get to and get supplies with short stop's magic in play too...one focal point location could make portkeying easy too so we could pop in and out without shortie expending her magical energy. Water, access to trees, our own hunting grounds, magic, and we could easily clear it if there are walkers there too…hmm." I could see the cogs in his brain whirring away.

Carol actually grinned, her eyes crinkling, "I always wanted to live on an island." Pre-apocalypse, she and I had always talked about retiring on a warm fun filled island with our families. I had something more tropical in mind when we had talked about that though.

Daryl looked happier, "There would be better hunting too and fishin' since it was a park. We can even make a tiny marina. I bet we could clear some inner land for farming or something like that too." I could see this idea excited him more than the mountains.

Rick had a thoughtful look on his face, "It would certainly be a long dive up there, and we'd have to go around Atlanta and the other big cities. We could totally plug it into our GPS though." My husband loved his GPS; I think it was because he had programmed it to sound like batman. The kids always got a kick out of it when he used it.

Glenn looked reluctant though, "Would we leave the Greenes?" I wondered if he already had a bit of crush on Maggie. They hadn't really talked much, but he did seem attracted to her.

Rick shook his head, "If they're actually okay folks, I say we don't leave em' to their doom. Whatcha' all think?" I nodded along with everyone else and Glenn's smile crawled back onto his face. I gently squeezed his shoulder and unwound myself from my husband giving him a quick peck along the way. "I'm going to see what the kids want."

Merle snorted, "Cartoons I bet. Do you want me to set up yer fancy tent, short stuff?" I tilted my head and thought about it.

"Oh! I can help you with that. Our tent's kind of tricky." Rick piped in. I guess I wouldn't have to decide.

While Rick and Merle went off their merry way to put up the tent I wondered what bonded the two. I could probably find out later if I asked either of them. I tended to forget about things like that though.

Glenn looked longingly at the house, "I…ermm…should go check if Maggie needs anything, right? Cause we're her guests…"

Carol let out a tinkling laugh, "Go after her, Casanova."

He grinned before waving at us and soon sprinted off towards the house.

I happily sighed, "He's so adorable, like a little kid with his first crush…"

Daryl shrugged, "You gonna be okay while Carol and I scope the area and hunt a little?"

"Yep, you two go have fun." I grinned and stuck my tongue out slightly.

Carol rolled her eyes while she smiled at me. She made sure to ruffle my hair before going off with Daryl, "See you later, little bean."

"Bye guys!" I cheerfully waved at their retreating forms and I made my way into the SUV. I could see that the kids were watching future episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants on the Smart panel TV. However, when I opened the door I managed to catch their attention away from the TV.

Judy looked extremely relieved, "Mommy! We want magic lessons! We was gonna ask, but then all the adults started talkin' and we knew that it would've been rude to talk."

Carl poked his sister's cheek, "It's 'we were', Juds. Mom, I'd like to learn how we can become invisible like Sophia too."

Sophia looked uncomfortable when Carl mentioned her little slip up earlier. "I didn't mean too," she mumbled.

Duane pouted, "I wanna learn magic too, Aunt Laura. What if I'm magic and I just haven't done anything like Soph?" He looked adorable.

"Well we could test out whether you have magic I suppose. I hadn't really thought about testing people for magic, but that would be useful. Do you kids wanna stay here and keep watching cartoons while the tent gets put up?" I wanted to make sure they were safe and sound before I went over to talk to Jenny and Morgan.

Judy looked around thoughtfully before her stomach let out a plaintive grumble. She looked sheepish, "I'm hungry though."

Carl nodded, "I could eat." He was pouting now too.

Sophia rubbed her stomach, "Me too."

Duane leaned back against his seat and stared at the ceiling thinking for a little bit, "Me three."

"Alright…how about I conjure you guys some snacks and you guys promise that you'll stay here while we set up? I promise that we'll do magic tests and lessons as soon as we're all settled, okay?" I flicked my wrist and conjured up Lays potato chips in regular, barbeque, salt and vinegar, and ketchup flavor. I also made sure to conjure up some gummy bears, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, oatmeal cookies, chocolate Pocky and orange juice for each child. Judy bounced; she loved snacks.

They all cheered and promised to do as I said. I hoped that they would hold their end of the bargain. I recalled from watching the show that there were walkers about not too far from here.

Carl leaned over his sister and gave me a peck on the cheek and a hug, "You're the best mom! Thank you!"

"Yeah…thanks mommy!" She slobbered on my cheek giggling when I wiped her saliva off. I pinched her cheek lightly.

"Thank you Aunt Laura!" Sophia and Duane cheered at the same time. They glared at one another, "Jinx!"

Sophia smiled triumphantly, "You owe me a soda." Duane grumbled under his breath and stuffed some Lays chips into his mouth; salt and vinegar flavor.

I closed the door and made sure that the charms, wards, and runes were still active. The kids would be totally safe. I spotted Jenny and Morgan leaning against their car, "Hey guys. What's up?"

Morgan smiled and gave me a short wave, "Nothing much; just the wife overreacting."

Jenny snorted, "Overreacting he says."

I joined them and leaned back on an open space beside them on their car. The air smelt sweeter while the sun began dipping down the sky. I wondered if that was just my imagination because of my pregnancy hormones. Did someone make cinnamon buns? Ohhhh…were Merle and Rick done putting the tent up? I hoped there really were cinnamon buns available right now. "Whatcha mean?"

Jenny bit her lip and leaned her head down onto my shoulder, "Oh sugar…I found out I'm pregnant too. Just about four weeks now…I don't wanna stay where we could be in danger…" A frown furrowed her brow while she glared at the barn.

Morgan shook his head, "I kept trying to tell her that we'll be fine especially since we're all wearing the protection jewelry we have at all times. She won't listen though. You go and try and convince her. I'm going to join Rick in putting that tent of yours up; Merle might need some help too." He shrugged, lovingly kissed his wife, and jogged off.

I took a deep breath getting another whiff of the sweet cinnamon I had smelt before. I prayed that I would be getting something sweet from Rick later; in both meanings. "You trust me right?"

Jenny raised her eyebrow, "Of course, sugar. I trust you with my life as well as my loved ones lives. You know that." She looked up at the cloudless sky.

I nuzzled my head on her shoulder which caused her to let out a little laugh, "Then trust me when I say that we'll be okay."

She grinned and shook her head, "You didn't need to rhyme, sugar."

I shrugged, "Makes life fun."

"We do need more fun in the apocalypse. Do you think they're making us cinnamon buns?" Rick made the best cinnamon buns, second only to Carol. I always seemed to crave them when I was pregnant.

"I hope so Jenny, I really hope so."

She laughed at my serious expression and we made our way to a completed sturdy looking tent. It was still the pink that Judy had picked out. I loved our bigger on the inside tent.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

Dear diary,

I honestly thought I would never have time to write in you again, but we're taking a little break from magic lessons so I have a couple minutes to spare. Turns out Duane had a little bit of magic too. I had him try out Wingardium Leviosa on a feather, much like the movie, sans a wand, and it actually levitated. Go figure. I should've guessed the children would have all had magic in them.

I managed to teach them all how to turn invisible, which was pretty cool, but I made them promise to only do so during emergencies. We finished up a couple easy household charms, basic runes, basic warding patterns, and I even managed to show them how to pull themselves to me. I was a little worried about them portkeying themselves randomly at my side. Sure...I wanted them to practice and be safe, but they could seriously hurt themselves with this.

On a brighter note, they loved my lesson in basic conjuration. Duane conjured up a grape soda for Sophia since apparently he owed her one. I never really understood why some kids took a jinx so seriously. Sophia was happy though.

Carl conjured up a corndog, Judy conjured up turtle; which totally baffled me, and Sophia conjured up a giant snickers bar. Her chocolate bar looked more like a fucking cake. We still had about three quarters of it in our tent fridge. All it all, for their first practical conjurations lesson it went really well. The turtle still kind of freaked me out though. Judy had conjured up a living thing on the first go. I wondered what made her research turtles to that extent that she could produce one that wasn't utterly stupid. It's now her first ever pet, Terrance the turtle. The only odd thing about our new resident reptile was that it had blue eyes.

When Merle and Daryl saw that the kids knew how to become invisible they wanted in as well. I offered to do the same for Carol since she hunted as well, but she just smiled and shook her head. She knew that I couldn't do too much while I had a bun in the oven.

In order to power up some invisibility runes for them I had to teach the kids how to charge that too. Being pregnant when I wanted to do all this magic kind of sucked. Oh well...this gave me a good reason to keep teaching the kids things we had to know.

After they were able to turn invisible, only three times in a week for about eight hours each time, I asked them if they could teach us how to shoot with a revolver. Carol looked giddy at the prospect of teaching us too. I had always begged off on those lessons, lessons that I had assured her that we would do later and I supposed now would be later.

I had conjured and charmed some revolvers for each of our kids and we all expressly told them not to abuse this privilege. Sure, they knew how to shoot with crossbows, rifles, and with magic...but revolvers always felt a little weird to me for some reason. I supposed it was too close to what Carl had carried and what the other children used in the show. Rick and Morgan joined in with agreeing with everyone, but I think it was because they were gun enthusiasts to begin with. Jenny was meh about the whole thing. She had stated that her husband was bound to try and bond with Duane like that eventually.

Glenn asked if I would attach something cool onto his protection necklace like with Daryl and Merle. Me and the kids decided that the best thing to put on Glenn's necklace was a notice me not charm until I had more energy. It wouldn't be as effective as the invisibility rune, but it would do for now.

The other ladies and I joked that we should also put on a contraceptive charm since Glenn and Maggie kept getting kind of 'touchy'. 'Touchy' was the polite way of saying that they kept groping each other when they thought we weren't lookin'. He turned as red as an overly ripe tomato when we mentioned it. The only qualm he had about it was that Maggie might be confused. In all seriousness, when Glenn said _that_ I put the charm on for him and added a slight confundus which would make Maggie believe he had condoms. This, of course, would be removed _if_ we ever told her about magic.

We've been camping out on the Greene family's lawn more or less for a week when Glenn found out something important while he and Maggie were sneaking around to "talk". There _really_ were **walkers** in their barn. Carol wanted to shoot them; they certainly were a clear danger to everyone. And we all agreed, but we couldn't just go shooting everything. We wanted the Greenes to snap out of their delusional state _first_; it wouldn't be safe to take them with us if they thought that the walkers were just sick.

My husband figured that the Greenes were the way that they were because their walkers didn't straight up try to attack them otherwise their story would be different. I leaned towards his explanation too. They were still a little too friendly after doomsday happened; on one hand I'm glad, but on the other hand it would fuck them over if they weren't careful.

We didn't really have much contact with Dale for a couple of reasons. He was sleeping up in the house guarding Andrea **and** he didn't really _know_ us all that well. I wondered who our moral compass was since we didn't have Dale. I certainly don't think it was me. He did trust us to take care of his RV though, so there was some faith there.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

It had been three weeks and Andrea was only sluggishly pulling along. Hershel had said it was because his equipment was meant for animals and not people.

They had invited us all for Sunday breakfast after they got to know us a little more. The kids got to eat in the living room near their old clunky TV while the adults had gathered around their kitchen table. It felt weird though since we all still recalled a bleeding Andrea lying on this table a week ago.

I tucked into my bacon, eggs, and pancakes with my right hand while my left hand clung to Rick's sweaty palm. He winked at me while he took a sip of his black coffee. We both felt the slight tension in the air.

Hershel cleared his throat grabbing everyone's attention, "Your friend Andrea..." Merle snorted and covered it by faking a cough. "...seems to be doing alright, but we need actual medication for her to really pull through." Patricia got up at this point and offered more orange juice to the kids. I don't think she liked talking about Andrea all that much. I wondered what happened to make her dislike Blondie so much.

Otis stood up ignoring his pancakes our curious stares. "There's a high school nearby. I can go get meds."

Hershel frowned, "Alone? Are you sure?"

Otis paled, but nodded resolutely. I was honestly glad that none of us volunteered to go with him. "It was might fault so it's my burden to bear alone." Patricia looked like she was imitating a shaking leaf. They both left the table together, probably to talk about it.

Rick squeezed my hand and kept eating. Usually this meant that we would all be on high alert should Otis get back. It was more like a suicide mission in my opinion, and if he did get back he most likely would be bitten or scratched. None of us wanted to bring the walker plague right to our doorstep. Carol subtly glared at Hershel while she ate her porridge. I could see that the hand that she had under the table was clenched in a tight fist. I couldn't understand Hershel right now either; did his delusion go so deep as to think that walkers weren't that dangerous?

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Otis came back pale and clammy the next day. Patricia went right over to him helping him sit down. The ladies were gathered in the house again at Hershel's instance since it was an awfully hot day today. He mentioned something about us avoiding heat stroke because of our flimsy tent. Psh…If he only knew the reality of our awesome badass tent he wouldn't have offered us their home. I think he was feeling guilty again.

Otis sat down by Jimmy turns and swallowed some pills that Patricia gave him. He put his head down near Jimmy blankly staring at him.

I glanced at them from my seat on their couch with the kids. Rick was off with Morgan mapping out our route and our pit stops to the island we had chosen in his office, Merle and Daryl were hunting, and Carol was with me and Jenny. Glenn was out with Maggie doing whatever they did by themselves.

"Do you think he'll _turn_?" I whispered to the ladies while we sipped the sweet tea that I had subtly conjured while the Hershel, Jimmy, Beth and Patricia were bustling around their kitchen.

Carol nodded and kept her hand on her disillusioned gun. Jenny kept worriedly glancing down at our pregnant bellies and the children, her pregnancy wasn't visible as of yet, but I knew how she was worrying. They had been trying for another child for years now.

The children were oblivious to the danger that was here ever since Otis had walked in. Judy had all got them to play the Heads Up Charades game. So far I think the girls were winning. I was glad that they were so absorbed in their game. If this situation went tits up, I'd rather not have them see it.

We heard a shriek in the kitchen; Jimmy was getting gnawed on by Otis. His eyes were a sickly white now, and he had apparently turned without anyone noticing. Patricia and Dale ran over and pried Otis off of Jimmy's shoulder. Jimmy was heavily bleeding and leaned against the counter supporting himself with his left arm while he tried to stem the flow of blood with his right hand. Beth shook like a leaf and Hershel looked conflicted at the scene that unfolded so quickly before them.

Carol stood in front of us while Jenny and I stood in front of the kids; the living room wasn't too far from the kitchen, but I doubt any one of us wanted to take a chance that it wouldn't matter. I had placed a protego totalum and a silencio around the children. They didn't need the nightmares from what this situation would entail.

Dale was getting torn into shreds; his stomach was torn open like a piñata, and Patricia looked petrified. I had to give it to Dale though. He didn't scream once, I could see his pained expression while he struggled to fight him off. Hershel looked green, conflicted with intervening and running. Beth had broken down into quiet sobs while she hugged herself carefully moving towards Jimmy. Jimmy was quickly going pale. Walker Otis didn't seem to care about the other living things while he chowed down on Dale though.

Hershel turned to us and let out a pained sound. "Please do something." I supposed that it finally dawned on him that these walkers weren't just sick people. Sick people certainly didn't tear people limb from limb, or pried open people like peaches.

Carol shot Otis and Dale in the head acquiescing to Hershel's request. I was so glad that I had silenced her gun. Jenny looked faint and I helped her sit down near the kids.

She motioned to Jimmy with her gun. "What about Jimmy?" I tightened my hold on my magic, that act alone helped to calm my racing heart.

"You gonna be okay?" I whispered making sure that the kids were safe and that there weren't any walkers from what I could see through the nearby window.

Jenny quietly nodded and swallowed back something, what I assumed would be bile, "This is just like when your neighbors got _eaten_." I could see that she looked a bit green. The peace we had experienced certainly didn't last long.

I nodded, "Tums?" I always had a small medical bag on me at all times. I stowed it away in a secret pocket in my bra. Shrinking charms, feather-light charms, and self cleaning charms were the best things to place onto bras, especially while I was pregnant. Goodbye lactation milk stains.

She shook her head. "I'll keep watch over the kids and you can watch Carol's back." I nodded and kept an eye on Carol while she took charge.

Jimmy was already rapidly dying from what we could tell from over here, "Mr. Greene?" The blood rapidly poured from his shoulder despite the pressure he applied, muscle fibers were brightly visible against the sunlight that streamed through the blood stained curtains. If it was an arm or a leg, any appendage we could cut off really, we could've saved him. As it were Carol fingered her gun again never taking her eye off of Jimmy because to us he was already a goner.

Hershel had partially shaken off his shock and gathered Beth away from Jimmy with little to no struggle. He looked at us, "Can we save him?"

Carol shook her head silently. Once she had acknowledged that Hershel and Beth both fell apart. Patricia stood over her dead husband and a mutilated Dale. She fell to her knees weeping silently after staring at Otis's face. Dale's intestines and blood were spread across Otis's face, a torn intestine hanging out of his open mouth.

Beth let out a plaintive whine while tears streamed down her face as her father pulled her further away from Jimmy. Jimmy gave Beth a sad smile before giving her father a short solemn nod, "Mrs. Peletier?"

Carol's face was neutral, but I could tell from her shaking shoulders that she didn't want to shoot him, "Just call me Carol, James." We had recently made him a birthday cake celebrating his eighteenth birthday a couple days ago. He wasn't forthcoming with information about his life before the apocalypse, but he was certainly sweet towards us.

He slumped down the counter cabinets and sat down on the bloodied linoleum floor. "My mother used to call me James...she's in the barn with Beth's mom...Could you...could you please make sure we end up in the same place? …In heaven…I don't want us to be monsters. My momma...my momma would be so sad..." He glanced at Beth, tears trickled down his cheeks, "I _**love**_ you Beth..." He turned his dimming eyes towards Hershel, "Mr. Greene...don't...keep...monsters..." His chest let out a rattling breath. I wiped away the tear tracks on my cheeks. He really was sharp in this dimension...

Hershel looked like he wanted to run or drown his sorrows in liquor. He turned and kissed Beth on the head before stumbling out of the house. Beth crumpled to the ground and was about to reach for Jimmy, but before she could do that Carol shot Jimmy straight in the head.

Beth stared at us with wide, scared eyes, filled with tears. The glass shook in the kitchen and cracked when she curled up into a ball by Jimmy's dead body.

Patricia had fled the room while Jimmy was taking his last breaths. I think she had headed to Andrea's temporary room.

Carol shook slightly and I gave her a tight hug, as tight as I could with my belly, "You gonna be okay?"

Carol nodded and wiped away a stray tear, "He was a _good_ kid."

Beth let out a loud sob shattering the light bulb in the kitchen. My eyes widened while Carol shook her head, "That's quite a bit of accidental magic at her age."

I was about to go over and comfort her, but Carol stopped me, "Make sure that the kids and Jenny get back to the tent. I'll deal with this mess and Beth. Could you call Merle and the others back to the tent if they're not already there?"

"Mhmm...I can do all that, but are you sure that you want to handle this alone? I can help. Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I can't still do things." I resisted the urge to pout. I hated not being able to really help.

Carol kissed the top of my head, "I can handle this. I owe Beth that much after I had to shoot her boyfriend." She sounded calm, but I could hear a hint of wariness in her voice.

I took down the shield and quickly led the kids and Jenny away from the remnants of the blood bath. While I scurried off, I glanced back and saw that Carol had knelt down to a still sobbing Beth.

Carl looked up at me while we speed walked back to our tent. I had quietly and firmly asked them to all hold hands so we could go faster, "What's going on mom?"

"I'll explain once we get to the tent, darlin'," I muttered. Jenny looked sick still, maybe her pregnancy nausea was kicking in. It was either the nausea or the blood bath, either way she probably needed a bathroom.

When we made it to the tent, the kids plopped themselves down on the nearby couch while Jenny ran to the bathroom. My cell phone rang and I curiously picked it up. "Hello?"

"Yo, short stuff. We stopped the farmer from going off the property. He said something about coming to terms with stuff after a drink. Daryl even got him to give us permission to off the walkers. Ya'll okay over there? Should I bring old MacDonald back to the tent for a stiff one? Guy looks like he might need it." Merle sounded gruff and I heard Hershel exclaim that we had a working cell phone.

I nodded, "Yeah. You can bring 'em to the tent. We have to bring Beth in too. Carol's collecting her; she had a burst of accidental magic when Jimmy died."

"Wait. What? That boy toy of hers' is dead? How about the bad shot and Dale? Are they okay?" I could hear Merle's curiosity and Hershel pacing nearby him. I managed to also hear Daryl explaining something to Hershel. I couldn't make out the exact words though.

The children looked slightly alarmed when I had mentioned that Jimmy had died and that Beth had a dangerous bout of accidental magic. Jenny managed to get them calm and quietly explained the situation in a way she only could.

I started pacing behind the couch that held all the kids, "Yeah...all of em. Otis was probably scratched or bit. We couldn't see anything on him though. It could just be the virus."

Merle grunted, "Virus?"

I slapped my forehead gently with the hand that wasn't holding my cell phone, "Yeah. I keep forgetting that ya'll didn't have any tech when ya'll were with Shane."

I could hear Merle getting tense at the mention of Shane, "Tell us about it all when we get back to the tent. We'll make sure to bring old MacDonald along." I heard Hershel stating that he would prefer to be called by his name. Merle just laughed it off in his typical fashion.

"See ya soon." I touched the end call feature on my phone's screen and saw that the kids were staring at me while Jenny had apparently given up and laid down on the couch nearby them.

Judy looked up at me with her blue eyes, blue eyes so similar to my husbands, "Mommy?"

"Yes, darling?" I don't think this much stress while pregnant was good for me at all. I combed a hand through my wavy locks. I was thankful that we had indoor pluming, working hot water, and lovely showers.

Judy had apparently gotten her fluffy unicorn and clung to it, "Where's Beth?" The kids had apparently gotten along quite well with Beth and Jimmy. Sophia made a sour face, "Is Jimmy really dead?"

Carl had a pensive look, "Mom said he died while she was on the phone so probably is."

Duane had a guilty look on his face even though his tone was petulant, "I don't really feel that horrible about him dying...we didn't really know him that well. Is that bad?"

Carl pinched Duane's side, "I guess not…my great _great_ Mawmaw died a year ago, but we didn't really know her. Mom felt kind of bad when that happened, but she didn't break down or nothin'."

Sophia nodded, "Still though…" She tilted her head back and sighed.

It always amazed me when the kids showed how sharp and nosy they were. I hoped those traits would help them in this dimension and not hinder them. "I don't appreciate being _**eavesdropped**_ on, but yes. James has died and Elizabeth is still in the house. Aunt Carol is cleaning up and straightening her out before bringing her _**here**_."

Judy nodded and snuggled into her stuffed animal. "Okay." It was so easy to explain things to Judy because once you explained something she'd pretty much just accept it, at least from me and Rick.

Sophia leaned back against the couch, "Is my momma gonna be okay?"

I threaded my hand through her soft long sandy blonde hair, "Of course. She just wanted to handle this one alone. You know that she can handle just about anything."

Sophia nodded and the boys had already decided it was enough doom and gloom. They had slid off the couch and started setting up the Wii that I had conjured for them a week ago. I wandered towards the kitchen hearing the children's conversation about what to play in the background. I sat on one of the barstools around the kitchen island and pressed my phone to my ear after I dialed Rick's number.

"Honey?" I tried to make sure that my voice didn't waver. This had been a really messed up day considering the relative peace that we had recently experienced.

Rick picked up on my stress, "Sweet pea, what's wrong?"

At his tone of voice I just lost the battle to maintain composure. I told him all about how Otis got infected, how Dale died, how Jimmy died, how Carol had to do it, Beth's accidental magic, and the whole kerfuffle of a mess that was heading to our tent right now. He stated that he and Morgan would be right out of the shooting range.

It wasn't long before my husband engulfed into a warm tight hug while Morgan went over to check up on Jenny. "We'll get through this, sweetheart. I love you."

"I love you too, honey." I buried my nose in his chest and took in his scent. We'd just have to face everything head on, so far that was working well for us.

lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

It took several hours but we had gathered everyone here. Hershel looked hesitant when he first entered the tent and Beth was mostly depressed when Carol had her come in. Maggie looked astonished while she walked into our tent. Patricia had offered to watch over Andrea so she wasn't here. They needed a talk about magic, the barn, and this whole doomsday thing. I'm glad Rick decided to record the news cast on a USB.

Hershel sat next to Beth and Maggie holding their hands tightly. Maybe after all of this we could give him a bit of a stiff drink. He certainly looked like he needed it. Beth took everything in around her with a sad wonder and Maggie just looked shocked. Yes, it was indeed bigger on the inside. For a moment I wondered if any of them liked Doctor Who. It certainly wasn't as big or as glamorous as the Tardis, but it was still pretty cool in my book.

Maggie saw that Glenn had taken a seat near her and she grinned slightly, taking his hand with her free one. Hershel's eyes softened when he saw Maggie and Glenn holding hands. At least that part of this world hadn't changed.

Rick was leaning against one the walls facing the couches near the television, "So ya'll are here because of a couple things. First thing's first though. That _**barn**_ of yours houses monsters, walkers we call 'em. If the proof of what happened this morning hasn't convinced you then I'll show you the international news video that happened when this entire thing first started."

Beth looked hesitant, but raised her hand. I chuckled. She was definitely a goody two shoes pre-apocalypse, "Yes, Beth?"

"Could we talk about magic first instead? I'm sure daddy'll let ya'll get rid of the monsters our loved ones turned into...the magic thing is more important right now, right daddy?" She looked so hopeful. I supposed it would be a lighter topic than the gore that she recently experienced. At least she didn't try to kill herself in this reality.

I also noted that she didn't cut herself in this dimension either, which was intriguing. I found this out because she was wearing a sleeveless shirt because of the heat and her arms were bare of any marks or scars.

Hershel looked conflicted before he let his shoulders sag in defeat. "Magic first…_madness_ later."

Rick nodded. I found it didn't really matter what we spoke about first because we knew we would be safe within our tent and with the vehicles parked nearby that were charmed, warded, and rune carved for our protection. "Laura?"

I nodded, "So as you can actually see magic exists. When you left Hershel, Beth had a bit of accidental magic that shattered the glass in your kitchen. Carol has since then cleaned it up so that isn't a problem."

Maggie rapidly blinked and glanced at her little sister, "Bethy has magic...**like**…like Harry Potter?"

I wanted to laugh and tried my best to reign in the grin that threatened to break through onto my face. Glenn was grinning brightly at Maggie. They certainly followed the same wave length.

"Kind of. She's not a prophesized child like him, or as powerful. I doubt anyone could be the Master of Death, but much like my children and me, she has magic." I made sure to snuggle into my husband during this conversation.

Hershel looked doubtful, Maggie looked ecstatic, and Beth looked relieved. Hershel looked around before nodding, "I can understand how ya'll can have magic. This tent is proof enough of _that_, but Bethy's _**just**_ sixteen. She's a baby. She's _**my**_ baby."

Beth shook her head and gripped onto her father's hand, "Daddy, I know I'll always be your baby, but...weird stuff's always happened to me. You _**can't**_ keep explaining it away. Momma, Jason, our neighbors, MawMaw, everyone else is gone. There aren't **any** more explanations, daddy. It just is what it is, just like what momma said..." She wiped away the tears that had trickled down.

Hershel wilted, but before he could protest Maggie chimed in. "Beth's right, daddy. Ever since she was little weird stuff kept happening to her. Explaining it away won't help us this time. Don't say that I _**don't**_ know what I'm saying 'cause I'm a baby too. I'm twenty-four now. Besides..." She gently patted his knee, "You prayed for a miracle after momma passed. Doesn't this count as a miracle? _**Magic**_, like the stories she used to read to us, is _**real**_." Glenn sat on the arm of the couch and rubbed circles into Maggie's back.

He looked so old now, what he just found out seemed to add more years onto his face. "I need a stiff drink."

I went over and started making some tea at the kitchen island nearby. I was really happy that the living room, dining room, and kitchen were all open to one another. Yay open floor plans! "We'll talk about all the particulars about magic after Rick shows the news cast. It's not just for you, but for the kids, Glenn, Merle, and Daryl too. Ya'll haven't seen the news and you _need_ to."

I conjured up some hot water and tea while Carol came over and prepared something stronger for Hershel, Merle, and Daryl. Jenny joined in and started making hot chocolate for everyone else. Morgan decided to morally support Rick by taking my spot on the wall beside my husband.

Rick nodded, "This panel is a smart TV. It acts like a computer and is powered by magic, the other's already got an explanation. If ya'll have questions I can answer them after this. This little orange stick that looks like Lego is called a USB and it has the information we need. I'm gonna plug this in and it'll show you the previous recording from the beginning of this walker plague. I'll switch to the current news after alright."

Everyone nodded while the ladies and I finished up the drinks we were concocting. We'd probably be finished in the middle of the news.

I listened in while I finished making some tea for me and Rick. Carol had slipped in some rum with the coffee she had brewed, and Jenny had added a dollop of nutella, tiny marshmallows and some whipped cream in each mug.

The news woman, red head somebody, was talking about how the virus had become airborne. I swear that woman looked like Scarlett Johansson. The epicenter of it all, in the States, was in Los Angeles and California and she warned us all to stay away. The president and our main government officials were all sequestered away in a far away centre in the mountains. There _**were**_ actual safe zones, but she also warned everyone that we'd have to find them our selves since some of the military officials went rouge. Atlanta had been bombed. She had stated warily that those that got bit, scratched, or had any skin penetration by the infected would soon be infected themselves. Since the virus was airborne, if someone died; from any cause, they would come back as a walker. These walkers were described as shells of the virus. The people that they once were no longer lived in their bodies since the memory center of the brain was eaten away by the virus. Everything that made them who they were would no longer be present. They went and talked about the in-depth aspect of all of this. The news went on for a while and the Greenes, Dixons, and Glenn paled as they processed all this information.

We handed out the drinks we had made. Rick gladly accepted the tea and took a seat on a nearby arm chair. I perched on his lap sipping my own mug of fruit tea. Carol had handed off the strong coffee to Daryl, Merle and Hershel and they all looked like they appreciated it. Carol sat down on the loveseat that Daryl had parked himself in. Merle leaned against the wall staring blankly at our TV.

Jenny gave all the kids, Glenn, and Maggie hot chocolate. I think it soothed their nerves. Carl and Judy had moved away from the other kids to snuggle near Rick's legs. They hadn't seen the news either. It was brutal and very gory for the news.

Sophia had made her way over to Carol and plopped down on her lap. Morgan and Jenny took the seats that the other children had occupied and cuddled with their son. This was something dreadful, but we couldn't stop watching. It was like an ongoing train wreck.

When the news finally finished Rick didn't bother showing the international news that was left. I don't think anyone really wanted to rehash any of what our reality entailed.

Beth turned around and stared at the doorway, "We'll be safe here, right?"

I nodded, "Mhmm...Our stuff's been charmed to the teeth."

Carl looked up at me finishing off his hot chocolate, "What happens to Dale's RV?"

Merle grunted, "We should take it. Ten to one, we'll have more use to it than Andrea. If she pulls through she can have it. Shrink it, will ya shortie?"

"That's true." Rick intoned and I agreed.

Hershel was stone silent only really just letting it settle in, "After seeing that...magic seems like a rainbow." I smiled while everyone nodded silently finishing off their drinks.

Maggie looked hard at us probably noting that we all wore jewelry, "What's up with all the jewelry? Is that a city folk thing?"

Carol shook her head, "Laura made us protection necklaces."

Hershel looked at me hopefully, "Protection?" I assumed he was asking me what that meant and if they could have some as well. I glanced at his two daughters and saw hope reflected back at me.

Rick tightened his hold on me and kissed the back of my neck, "She's pregnant right now so she shouldn't really expend her magic."

I gazed at my husband with a warm smile stretched across my face; my dimples were once again prominent, "Three shouldn't be too hard."

Beth frowned, "What about Aunt Patricia though?"

Before I could really explain why I could only make three, Maggie shook her head and poked her sister, "Patricia is a very religious person, Bethy…the kind that would wanna burn a witch." Beth winced at that comment. That name applied to her now too.

Hershel looked sad, but he nodded as well, "Maggie's right, sweetie. Your Aunt Patricia is a sweet soul, but she's a religious nut." The unsaid words rang through my head. As nice as she seemed, a person who would hurt us because she thought magic originated from the devil...just even the thought of that made my skin crawl. I was a Christian myself, but trying to hurt someone for something they couldn't help...Damn.

Beth pouted, "That really sucks..." She crossed her arms and slumped in her seat.

Carl nodded, "This whole apocalypse thing kind of sucks." He placed his mug, his sister's mug, and our mugs on the nearby coffee table. Judy nodded against my leg, she clung onto her unicorn.

"Kind of, but now we get to spend more time with our parents and friends and that's really cool." Sophia chipped in snuggling against her mother. Carol kissed the side of her head lovingly.

Duane let out a little laugh, "It is nice not having my mom as the principle of our school."

Jenny rolled her eyes and gently swatted him in the back of his head. His comment made a majority of our group chuckle slightly.

This was the certainly a strange start of our friendship with the Greenes.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

So diary,

It's nice to write to you again. Wow…this'll make it two entries in one month. That's great, considering the circumstances.

We gave a better in depth explanation about magic to the Greenes after the video about the news finished. They were even more accepting of magic after we gave them a demonstration with the kids. I conjured up their favorite meal and it made Hershel cry. Apparently it was the meal that his wife always made every Sunday evening.

I got the kids to conjure up stuff as well. Beth and Maggie were astounded, although Beth was more excited about the prospect of doing magic as well. We all had protection jewelry now. Beth had chosen to use the earrings that Sophia had conjured up, golden daisy stud earrings, and Maggie chose the star stud earrings that Judy had conjured up. Duane had conjured up a golden chain while Carl had managed to conjure up a delicate looking golden hay bale pendent; Hershel had chosen to wear both of theirs. The kids were proud of their creations, and I was proud that they had actually conjured up actual golden jewelry. Their lessons were certainly working out well.

I charmed their respective pieces of jewelry with the same charms, rune carvings, and protection spells that I had given to everyone else, portkeying included.

They had opened the barn and let Carol, Daryl, Merle handle the first onslaught of walkers that came out. When there were a few stragglers, we let the others; including the kids, try their aim out with the guns we had given them. They were all pretty good shots, but they needed more confidence...especially Beth. Hesitating in this life might just get you killed. When all the walker versions of their loved ones were killed I made sure that Beth didn't go into a suicide spiral. She didn't, but she did manage to make one walker explode out of grief. Hershel needed another stiff coffee after all that, and Glenn comforted Maggie so she was mostly okay.

Patricia had found out that Beth had magic some how and locked herself up with Andrea. She gave us the evil eye every time we passed by her and no longer talked to Hershel, Maggie, or Beth. I think she only really took care of Andrea out of a feeling of obligation. I wondered if that would lead to her doom. Andrea was still sluggishly healing despite the medicine that Otis had gotten for her.

We celebrated Carl's twelfth birthday in our tent. Daryl had found a stray golden retriever during one of the few runs they did, and he brought her back as a present for Carl. She was a sweet dog and Hershel said that she was probably only about four years old. He also managed to confirm that she neutered; Hershel was a good vet. My son dubbed her Mia. Rick and Judy sang him a song for his birthday while Rick played the guitar. Those two loved making music.

The kids conjured up their own gifts for Carl, and the others brought back things from their run. Sophia had conjured up a leather vest for him. Duane worked on conjuring a bunch of rice. I used the rice to make them a shit ton of onigiri*. I was glad I let them watch all that anime on the smart TV. Beth, on her first try at conjuration, made my son neon green sunglasses. I would need to show her the inner workings of things text book that I had the kids always reading. Conjuration wasn't any good if you didn't know how the thing worked, how it was built, and what it did.

Carol had gotten Carl a sheriff hat, which made me wanna have a heart attack. Merle had found a huge can of chocolate pudding and gave it to my son; I had a feeling that I knew where that can came from. Rick let him have his sheriff badge, which made our son actually tear up. Morgan and Jenny gave Carl a leather backpack filled with books and Xbox 360 games; Morgan found it all and decided it would suit him. Hershel decided to let Carl have one of his chickens when Carl expressed his wish to have one. I think my son had meant in Skyrim though, but he was happy enough with one in real life from what I saw. Maggie and Glenn managed to find an Xbox 360 with five controllers to go with all his new games. I made sure to cast a Repairo on all of it along with the proper charms to make it work with magic. I would upgrade it for Carl for Christmas.

We all decided to shrink Dale's RV since Andrea was hardly healing. If she did miraculously get better then we would just unshrink it. Surprisingly it was Maggie's idea during our, now, regular Sunday afternoon lunches.

lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

The air chilled and the leaves turned into vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges. Some of the bright crunchy leaves fell onto the ground, and the days shortened. This signaled that November was upon us...Well that and all of our technology indicated that it was already November; November eleventh to be exact. I made sure to wear my poppy tee-shirt. I doubt if I actually wore a poppy people would understand.

I took in a deep breath of the sharp crisp country air and watched the sun rise with my husband. I was bundled up in my blue sheepskin lined hoodie and charmed yellow skinny pants. I tucked my feet further into my brown Ugg boots and lifted the red fleece blanket that we were sharing up to my neck. Rick chuckled and tightened his hug around me. I was so glad I could still sit on his lap and that we had enlarged our orange camping chair. He blew on the black coffee he was drinking. It was a nice end to our guard duty shift. I wondered how Carol and Daryl were up on the Greene's roof. I hoped that they were properly bundled up.

"You gonna tell me what happened with Shane and Atlanta?" I hated bringing up something so bad during such a nice sun rise, but I did want to know eventually.

"Not right now, sweet pea. I will eventually though, count on it." He nuzzled the back of my neck and I couldn't help but smile.

The frost on the grass made it sparkle, and I contently sighed. This peace was nice. Rick kissed the side of my neck, "I love you."

"I love you too." I twisted around to catch his smiling lips. I could certainly get used to this.

My phone rang, and Rick quirked his eyebrow. I shrugged and deftly slipped my phone out of my pants pocket, "Hello?"

Carol chuckled, "You love birds look adorable from our vantage point."

I rolled my eyes around, "I'm sure you guys look cute too, Carol." I could hear the amusement in her voice. Daryl cleared his throat in the background.

"Bad news little bean…"

I furrowed my brows and got up off of my husband taking the blanket with me. Rick mouthed what's wrong. I shrugged motioning to my phone. "What kind of bad news?"

"I think we have about three or so hours before a herd of about…" She seemed to be confirming something with Daryl, "…A hundred or so walkers are coming our way. They're far and slow so we have time, but we have to get the hell out of here."

I nodded; my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. We'd have to wake everyone up, shrink and pack everything up quick as a whip. Would Patricia wanna come? How could we get to Andrea now that Patricia had barred us from visiting her to see if she was okay? "I'll gather everyone up and we'll head out ASAP. Are you guys okay to get down on your own?"

Daryl laughed in the background despite our apparently dire circumstances. Carol hummed. "Yep, we'll just head back down through the roof access point through the attic. See ya'll soon."

"See ya." I let the phone call end and stared at my husband fear clearly visible on my face.

He got up and gently placed our blanket on the chair. He held my arms searching my face, "Sweet pea?"

I looked up at him and bit my lip, "We have to leave."

"What's wrong? Carol and Daryl saw a huge walker herd comin' our way. They said we have a couple hours max to get the _hell_ **outta** here. Do you think we'll make it?" I buried my head in his chest, and I could hear his heart start racing.

I heard him take in a large breath of air before he released it, his heart calmed down slightly, "I'll wake everyone up in our tent. You go get the Greenes and the others. The tent and all of our stuff has an automatic stasis and shrinking charm placed on them, right?"

I nodded, "That's true." I bounced on the heels of my feet. I was glad I wore comfortable shoes today.

He bent down slightly and kissed my head, "I love you."

I whined just a little and he bent down further while I tiptoed. I felt his soft lips against mine and I wished we had more time, "I love you too."

He gave me one last hug and hurried back into the tent making sure that he grabbed our camping chair and blanket on his way in. I lightly jogged towards the Greene's house and hoped that we would make it out of here in time. My peaceful morning certainly wasn't turning out how I had hoped.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

I burst through their door and headed straight to the living room. They usually took their meals in there while Patricia had claimed the kitchen. It suited everyone fine since the kitchen had pretty bad memories for them now. I could see that Patricia and a despondent Andrea were in the kitchen. She was feeding some sort of sludge to Andrea.

Hershel, Maggie, Glenn, and Beth were already talking to Carol and Daryl in the living room. I could see that this wasn't the greatest time since it was six forty-nine am. This mess did show some of their personality and what they might have been doing in the morning though. Hershel only had his dark pants on and a thin sleeveless white shirt, a toothbrush held limply in his hand. I think this much bad news all at once wasn't good for his health. Beth had pink doughnut pajamas on; she kept repeatedly trying to stifle her yawns, my conjuration text was held tight against her chest. Did she stay up reading all night? That might have been a bad decision considering that we had to leave pretty soon now. Maggie was wearing what I assumed was Glenn's shirt while Glenn was just wearing pajama bottoms. Oh! I saw a glimmer of a ring on Maggie's left hand finger. I think they might have gotten engaged last night. I was _so_ going to grill them both for details after we get to somewhere safe.

Carol nodded towards me while Daryl helped Hershel sit down to absorb everything, "You, good little bean?"

"Mhmm. I'm here just incase they wanted to pack some stuff. It'll be a good lesson for Beth to learn how to shrink things at a fast rate and the packing charm." I patted Beth's shoulder and she flashed me a sleepy smile.

I suppose we weren't quiet enough because Patricia peeked in on us sneering, "If you're leaving I'm staying. I'm gonna keep Andrea here too. Only a _good_ Christian can heal. You devil spawn people can just leave." With her nose in the air she turned and went back to feeding Andrea.

I felt my ire rise, but squeezed it down. It wouldn't do to just slap people. I shook my head. "You ready to learn something new, Beth?"

Beth nodded, and gently placed down the text book after she let out a yawn, "Whenever you are, teach." I nodded, but paused for a moment; we should probably do this in her room. It would make sense to do that there any ways since most of her things would be present there. Maggie had gently tapped my shoulder causing me to turn to face her.

"We're going to pack up. Do ya'll have one of them charmed bags like in the books?" Maggie looked hopeful. I would make sure to make her bag feather-light along with the extendable charm.

I nodded and conjured up a leather back pack applying the charms right after. "Here you are."

Glenn grinned, "Thanks Mrs. G." Both of them scampered off up stairs. Carol and Daryl shook their heads.

Hershel let out a long resigned sigh and looked up at me from his seat, "Could you hand me one of those bags as well, Laura?"

I conjured up the same leather back pack with the same charms and handed it to Hershel, "Here you go."

He gently took it from me, "Thanks, Laura."

Daryl looked at me and patted my shoulder, "We'll help Hershel with the packin'. You can just worry about Beth." Carol nodded before she turned to Hershel and started showing him how to store things in the charmed backpack.

Beth and I went up the stairs and I saw all the photos of their family nailed up on the wall climbing up the stairs. I was definitely glad those backpacks had been charmed; there were a lot of photos.

She smiled at me and welcomed me into her bedroom. It was a pale blue room and there was a medium sized window on the wall in front of me covered in a white curtain. A worn oak dresser with a mirror sat to my left next to a small desk, a large bed with a side table was to my right, and when I entered further I found that there was a small closet near the bed. It was a tight fit, but seemed cozy. I nodded to myself before turning to face a nostalgic Beth. She was clutching the text I had let her borrow to her chest again while she looked at her room lost in some memory.

I smiled, "Beth? Are you ready?"

She snapped out of whatever she was thinking about and returned my smile with one of her own, "Yep, Mrs. G."

"Alright, just follow me." I demonstrated flicking my rotating my wrist in a specific pattern. "Those motions are what surge the magical energy from your core into this specific charm. Usually we can just surge the magical energy with a word and a wave of a hand, but since this is a very specific charm made for small and large areas we have to do the motions."

She nodded, placed down the text on her dresser, and mimicked my motions, "Like this?"

I beamed, "Exactly! That's perfect Beth. Now take a tiny piece of your magical energy and flow it through your arms to your wrists and hands. Then we'll actually say the charm."

With that we set out to packing up her entire room. We scourgified her clothes, the sheets, and soon we shrunk her bed, her dresser, and all of her other things. I made sure to put a stasis and refreshening charm on it all so it wouldn't get all gross and stale smelling, I always did that when we packed up all of our things. By then end of it all, we had only really spent twenty minutes packing up; now the room just had bare pale blue walls and a beige carpet. We hugged and she left to make sure everyone else had packed up what they had wanted to.

I made my way to where we camped and found that it was all packed up and put away as well. I decide to un-shrink Dale's RV and transcribe all the charms on the SUV onto it. It would do for a magical moving base until we found somewhere with more room. Expansion charms could only be so good on vehicles. It's not like she was the all powerful Harry Potter.

Rick made his way to me and raised an eyebrow before bending down to gently kiss me, "Not takin' the SUV this time, darlin'?"

I shook my head, "We'd all be safer in one vehicle and we have Dale's RV now anyways." I ruffled his growing hair, it always waved a little when he let it grow; Carl had the same kind of hair.

"Alright, we can just move everything to the SUV then. Do you want the kids to help you shrink our SUV and Morgan's car?" He straightened and cracked his back slightly. I hope we had enough time to do all of this.

I nodded, "Yeah, it'll be a good magical exercise for them. Do you think Morgan and Jenny will mind? Oh dear…will we even have enough time?"

He shook his head, "Nope. I was talkin' to him earlier. He said he would prefer it if we all drove in one car too. This RV idea was a good one, and I just confirmed with Daryl. He took another look and said that the herd was at least two hours away still."

Rick made sure to give me another hug and kiss before we went off to do our separate tasks. The sun was rising further in the sky and the morning was heating up slowly. I slipped out of my warm hoodie and got the kids to press the shrinking charms on the cars while the rest of us moved everything into a newly charmed, rune carved, and warded RV. I made it so that it was like a small house on the inside, but I found that I couldn't make it any bigger. There was always a limit to how far you could stretch a mundane item's insides. Oh well, c'est la vie. I made sure to store the cars in palm sized wooden boxes. Merle thought it was hilarious that they looked like little miniature figurines. I found out he loved those kind of things; it kind of weireded me out to be honest.

We all loaded up into the RV and drove off as the sun pressed up higher into the sky. As we drove away we could hear the many moans, grunts and groans of the herd that was converging ever closer to the farm. Hershel had bid farewell to his home along with the girls. He had tried to convince Patricia to come with us _or_ to let us take Andrea. She rudely shot us down on both requests. She didn't even let Beth hug her goodbye. It was a rude awakening for them. Magic, as wonderful as it was, wasn't something that everyone would accept even during the apocalypse.

I sat up next to my husband in the front passenger seat that we had added to the RV. Carl had managed to change the beige exterior to a deep metallic blue with Sophia's and Duane's help. Judy had transfigured our rims to look like black stars. They didn't really do anything, but look cool so I didn't scold her. The kids loved changing the color of things and customizing anything they could get their hands on as of late. The inside of the RV was wonderfully different in comparison to the show. It was bigger, air conditioned, and so much modern. There were now two floors much like the buses from London had two levels. I sipped the watermelon juice in my glass and leaned against my window, "Rick?"

"Yes, darlin'?" He kept his eyes on the road, but he managed to give me a quick kiss.

"Do you think this is like some crazy tradition that won't break until we get to the island? Do you think that will even work?" I stared down to the bottom of my glass before I glanced down at my slightly protruding belly.

Rick dryly laughed, "This won't become some new family tradition for us, but we _certainly_ have to keep moving until we get to that island. I hope, pray, and believe that it will be our escape from this, sweet pea. We just have to get there first."

As we drove off he held my hand, the one that wasn't holding my glass, and I noticed that we were heading to the abandoned campground that they had gone to in the show. "Are going to make another pit stop for a while?"

He nodded, "Yeah. Winter's coming and driving in the snow even with magic isn't something I want to risk. Besides, pit stops cover our tracks."

I agreed and reclined a little in my seat. I shouldn't worry too much. I mean what could there be waiting for us at that campground anyways?

lllllllllllllllllllllllll

To be continued...

llllllllllllllllllllllll

**Sneak Peak:** "...Those fucking bastards were so doped up that they couldn't even protect the kids. My fucking three year old had to sacrifice his life to save my baby girl, his baby sister…"

**Onigiri***: Japanese food made from white rice formed into triangular or oval shapes and often wrapped in dried salted seaweed. Traditionally, an onigiri is filled with pickled umeboshi, salted salmon, katsuobushi, kombu, tarako, or any other salty or sour ingredient as a natural preservative. Laura loves putting minced sausages, and veggies into the onigiri that she makes. It's not as traditional, but the kids love it.


	11. Chapter 11

**Hiraeth**

Noun - homesickness tinged with grief or sadness over a lost home that can never be returned to.

**Story Premise:**

Persephone Pines former muggleborn Hufflepuff unspeakable tossed into the walking dead dimension after a botched up portal take down at work. This is an alternate universe Walking Dead.

This story is rated M for future scenes and vulgarity. You have been warned.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Be warned, this is an alternate universe story so things will be different at times. This is not a happy rainbows and pink kitten fluff story. It may be a dark at times. If that's not what you wanted, there are many other great stories to pursue out there.

Reviews mean that I keep going and update sooner. Flames are not appreciated or welcomed. Remember what Thumper the rabbit said in the movie Bambi. If you have nothing nice to say, then don't say it. If you have constructive criticism, go ahead and give it, that's always welcomed.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

**Thank you to the amazing Nel for the review**. I hope you like this chapter.

**Thank you to the lovely TwilightEclps for the review.** She totally did just jinx herself. :P I hope you enjoy this chapter.

**Thank you to the people who added my story to their favorites list and or followed the story:**

**setsuna1415, Rockcutter28**

I normally aim for ten pages maximum for each chapter, but this is a little longer than that so I hope ya'll enjoy it. There isn't any _real_ gore described in this chapter and is kind of fluffy at some points. This is a lighter chapter in comparison to the one prior.

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

**Chapter Eleven**

**Finding Solace**

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

It had taken a couple hours, but we had finally gotten to the abandoned mill and campsite that the men had found on a map we had procured from the Greenes. Sure we could probably travel forever in our charmed RV, but moving all the time wasn't the best thing for pregnant people. And it would be safer; no one took care of the roads anymore so the danger from just driving in bad weather increased. Besides that, we didn't want anyone noticing us. Pit stops would help conceal where we wanted to go. Competition for our island wasn't something that we wanted.

We had long outrun the herd that trampled through Hershel's farm. I idly wondered if they tore through everything in the fashion that all walkers did. A small part of my mind worried about Patricia and Andrea. Hershel had left his shotgun for her and I wanted to add a charm or two for them, but she had chased me off with a broomstick. Ironic, I know.

We parked by the dilapidated check in building; Carol, Daryl, Glenn, Merle, Morgan and Rick got out clearing the area of any walkers. Hershel and Maggie took to the roof of our RV to be our new lookouts while Jenny, Beth, and I minded the children. I didn't really quite mind anymore since I had gotten kind of big for three months. Seriously though...I was waddling now. A waddling pregnant woman against walkers just sounded like disaster.

It was noon now and the kids were a little restless after lunch. I had hoped that all the sandwiches that they had consumed along with the cookies would make them a little sleepy. Alas, I was wrong. They had all decided to go play fetch with Mia. She was actually a really quiet smart dog. I had an inkling that she may have been some sort of helper dog because she knew how to close the door and turn off the light when she left. Judy had opted out of fetch and had decided to take a seat beside Beth with her turtle in her hands. He was a nice enough turtle especially since he didn't snap at anyone. Beth had conjured up a bowl of strawberries and they were currently watching Trevor the turtle chomp on a strawberry that was larger than his head.

I shook my head, closed my eyes, and grinned up towards the warm afternoon sunlight. It felt wonderful. The breeze smelt clean, the leaves brightly contrasted against the sky. Fluffy white clouds lazily floated by. I stretched out my legs and felt my muscles relax. Judy and Beth had helped me conjure up some lawn furniture for us to sit on so we could bask in the sunlight in comfort.

I was inwardly disappointed that I couldn't stretch my magical core to help them out, but I knew supporting the life inside me was worth some minor inconveniences. Jenny let out a contented sigh while she reclined on her lawn chair. I sipped some watermelon juice from my Catbug glass; Maggie had introduced me to the wonder of watermelon juice while we were on their farm. It was totally my current favorite drink at the moment. I relished the peace that we were experiencing at the moment. The kids were still playing fetch nearby, Beth and Judy were messing with her turtle, Hershel and Maggie hadn't found anything yet, and Jenny and I got to recline in the sun. Considering what we had to run from, this was a nice reprieve. An hour or so passed on by and I felt the stress melt away from my bones. I wondered when Rick and the others would get back.

I should've known it wouldn't last. I heard a cry and jolted up from my chair spilling my watermelon juice onto the grass beside me.

"What?!" I frantically looked around. The children had jolted back towards us. Carl had to pull Mia back from growling at what aparently was coming towards us. Maggie and Hershel let out a quick sharp whistle, which we had agreed on earlier, that meant danger. They disappeared from the top of the RV; they were probably heading down towards us. I heard the crunch of leaves coming from our left and I pulled out the gun that I had hidden under my lawn chair. I heard the familiar running footfalls of my husband, and when I glanced back I noted that everyone else had come back too. A little bloody, but they looked relatively fine.

Morgan had gathered Jenny and pulled her into an embrace while he warily looked into the distance with the rest of us. The rustling bushes near our RV made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I felt Rick stand by me. We all aimed our guns at the bushes. Did we catch some of the walker's attention while we were driving away? Was that possible with our charms, runes and wards? I was so certain that I had transcribed them onto the RV correctly.

"Steady, sweet pea." Rick breathed next to my ear before he kissed the side of my head gently. I had to remind myself that the kids would be safe and that we shouldn't shoot willy nilly.

Two armless jawless walkers walked out with what appeared to be a rope tied around their necks. The cry was louder this time and from behind them appeared Michonne with what appeared to be a baby carrier strapped onto her. My eyes felt like they were going to bug out. Wasn't she supposed to be out and about with Andrea? Did that mean Andrea was gone? What about Patricia? I stomped down all the questions, anxiety wouldn't help me.

She caught sight of us and pulled back her walker pets. She was bouncing slightly, probably trying to calm down her kid. I'm pretty sure her kid died in the show. This was an interesting twist.

Rick stepped forward gun pointed at them still and everyone else kept a steady aim at her with their own guns as well.

She looked startled and held her hands up. I noted that she was holding their "leash" with one hand while she held onto a katana with her other hand. I heard Carl's exclamation of 'cool' when he probably caught sight of her sword. My son had the oddest fascination with swords as of late.

Her eyes held a bit of suspicion and amazement when she took us in. Yes, the suspicion was probably why we had so many guns, but I think she was amazed that we had a bunch of kids, two pregnant women, and an RV with us. I mean when you looked at us I guessed that it was an odd picture. It probably would've been odder had Merle's hand not grown back. As it were, he had a fully functioning hand again. He was ecstatic, although he was a little cranky now since he had been sober; off any sort of drugs other than alcohol for two months.

"I don't mean any harm. I have a child." She was calm throughout our confrontation and it was that same calm that I saw in Carol now. I bet once they got to know one another the two stoic women would hit it off.

Rick nodded, "You also have two walker pets."

"Walkers?" She raised her eyebrow, "They're more protection than anything. They keep the other 'walkers' away from us while we travel. They can't smell us with them around."

Glenn piped up from behind, he had his revolver pointed at the walkers, "They're called walkers because they just get up and keep walking after they turn."

Carol had her shotgun pointed at Michonne's pet walkers, "We don't attract any walkers and we don't use any of them to mask our smell." I wanted to roll my eyes at that, but I refrained. It was a valid point, but we used magic to do that. For all we knew Michonne was a mundane, and any advantage against walkers for someone like that was good. It was startling to see in real life though.

Michonne looked confused at that, "How?" She kept bouncing gently trying to ease her child's cries. I'm glad we had set up a sound barrier when we set parked here. Michonne had stepped in our barrier so even if the child started wailing, other walkers wouldn't come because of the sound.

Merle gave her pet walkers a hard look, he was holding a machine gun, which I found was overkill, "Kill your pet walkers and we'll tell you."

At this point I walked closer to her ignoring my husband's disgruntled cry. I made sure that I was far enough from the walkers. I also knew that should she let go of them one or more of the kids would probably make them explode. "We'll help you out as much as we can, but those walkers could be a danger to us. We have to keep our families safe...especially our children, right?" I hoped that I could reason with her since I was a) visibly pregnant, b) it was clear that I was a mother, and c) I had also made sure to lace my voice with a slight confundus while I talked to her. Silently and inwardly I thanked God for the person who invented the confundus charm.

Her eyes glazed over for a moment before they focused on me again. Michonne's eyes softened when she took in my pregnant belly and caught a glance at the children that Beth and Maggie were trying to cover. She looked at Merle and nodded. With a a lightening fast swish of her katana the walkers were cleaved in two. She sheathed her katana and looked expectantly at us, "There. Now please put down your guns." She looked exhausted, dirty, and her baby was still crying quietly whimpering now and then.

We nodded and parted letting her find a place to sit. I had given her my seat and she sat down on the edge. I tilted my head at her and she nodded patting the spot beside her. "Thank you." Rick and the others kept an eye on her. Carol and Maggie had gotten Carl and Duane to help them fry up some barbeque. Sophia and Judy were sitting nearby trying to see what would happen if they let Mia play with Trevor the Turtle. Jenny had started making mashed potatoes with Morgan. Merle and Daryl were skinning some deer that they had caught recently. Glenn was helping Hershel set up and get the table out of the RV. Rick had taken a position on top of the RV as the lookout. He kissed me firmly before he left. Beth looked at me asking me the unspoken question, would we show our magic to her now? I shook my head and she gave me a curt nod before going off to help her father and Glenn.

"You're welcome." I made sure to carefully sit down. She was a little intimidating, but I found that despite that I still got really good vibes from her.

She slipped her baby out of the carrier she had strapped onto her chest, rocking it slowly. "Your group's big."

I nodded, "Your baby's adorable. Do you want any formula or are you breast feeding?" I was a little curious about that since she looked rather skinny. It was odd since the baby didn't look to be older than five months.

A bitter smile crawled onto her face, "She's four months old, Anna's her name. I had been breast feeding for a while, but...food's been scarce so I stopped lactating...I remembered that this campsite had a summer daycare at one point. I was hoping to find formula..." She kissed her daughter's head, but from what she told me that baby really just needed some sustenance. Michonne could probably use some food too.

"Ahhh...would you like some food? I'm pretty sure we have enough...I'm glad that our group is still big. This apocalypse could've certainly picked us off if we hadn't been careful." I played with the idea of revealing magic to her. Sure I had indicated that we wouldn't show her now, but explaining it was different from showing it. She could take the restorative potions since she wasn't pregnant any more. A lactation charm could also really help her. I also noted that a good days rest, a shower, and all the luxuries that we had available to us would probably be a miracle for her.

Her baby had settled down, probably into a hungry sleep. She ran her hand through her dread locks, "How is it that you all survived this far in tact? That RV can't possibly hold you all..."

I nodded, "How about we make a bargain?" I settled into my seat and leaned back on my hands.

She narrowed her eyes at me and clutched her baby to her chest, "What kind of bargain?"

I laughed and nudged her shoulder; my dimples were prominent against my face. I could see her relax her shoulders slightly, but there was still a bit of caution in her countenance, "I'll tell you the gist of our story if you tell me yours."

She nodded and stared out at everyone, they were all busy with their tasks, but I could tell that they were keeping an eye on our newcomer. "Alright..."

I wondered what happened to her son or if she didn't have a son at all. Had this little baby taken his place? I was also pretty sure that she had a son in the television show.

"...When the apocalypse happened I freaked out like everyone else. I gathered up my kids; Andrea and Anna, Mike my boyfriend, and his friend Terry, and got the hell out of Atlanta. I saw how in all the zombie flicks cities meant bad news...We made it to a refugee camp far enough away and we were okay for a while. It all went to shit though..." She was staring past everyone that was here, and I found that maybe this would be cathartic for her. I nodded along, but I doubt that she saw that or needed any prompting to continue.

"...I had come back from a run and found that the gate to the refugee camp wide open. Walkers were everywhere...The worst part was that when I found Mike and Terry they were high out of their minds bitten and zoned out. When I searched for Andre and Anna I found...I found my baby boy...my sweet baby boy getting _**eaten**_ by one of the kids that had turned. I kept slashing at that little bastard that _dared_ touch my child until he was just goop. My poor baby...he was standing in front of the closet, and that's where I found Anna was...He was protecting her. I had always told him that they should protect one another, but I didn't think he knew what that meant…Obviously he did know." Tears streaked down her face. She clutched at her daughter and I could see that her hands were shaking.

"...Those fucking _**bastards**_ were so _doped up_ that they couldn't even protect the kids. My **fucking** _three year old_ had to sacrifice his life to save my baby girl, his baby sister. I had to...I had to punish them...those bastards..._**especially**_ Mike. Who does that to their own kids? Abandons them to get high with his buddy…I had to make sure my son didn't turn into a monster too by becoming one myself...I had to put down my poor baby. Then I sliced Mike and Terry's arms and jaws off and put them on leashes. It was meant to be a punishment, but when I walked out with my daughter none of the other walkers came near us so I just kept them around. We wandered for a while finding shelter and food here and there...and you know why we ended up here..." She warily wiped away the tears that had run down her face. Her daughter fitfully snoozed in her arms.

"I'm sorry." I really was. I couldn't even fathom something like that happening. The show hadn't really been clear as to how her son had died or who Mike and Terry were to her...This was all really fucked up. When I looked away from her I noticed that everyone had paused what they were doing and openly stared at Michonne.

She was lost in her memories so she didn't acknowledge us. I used this moment to raise my brow at everyone which prompted them to continue what they had been doing.

Merle, however, shook his head. "Samurai, that's some _**fucked**_ up shit ya' went through. Hell, I lost my hand 'cause some psycho chained me to a roof and that's _**nothing**_ compared to what you went through." He wiggled his newly re-grown hand before nodding at Michonne, "Welcome to our group of weirdos, Samurai." After that he went off to extend the table they were working on.

Well fuck…now I have to explain magic. If I didn't she'd probably think he was crazy, and perhaps that we were not to be trusted. Merle certainly had his own unique timing. I swear sometimes that man just trolls people. He also really loved giving people nicknames, although I was certain that he did that out of some weird affection.

Michonne gave me a curious look, "What'd he mean?"

I let out a deep sigh, "I'll explain all of this and more if you're willing to listen. I'm Laura Grimes, and this is my family." I sat up and let my hands fall into my lap. All these ups and downs were wearing on me.

She nodded turning to me and sticking out her hand. "Michonne Anthony*."

I shook her hand and noted that she had recently gained callousness probably from wielding that sword of hers. "It's nice to meet you." I gave her a sincere smile, which she warily returned.

"Do you believe in magic?" I took a chance on this since I didn't know any better way to introduce her to our way of living.

She snorted, "The dead are coming back, eating people, animals, and turning them into one of them. Magic isn't that far off too." She smoothed her baby's tufts of black hair.

"Well…that's how we've been undetected so far. I can even show you if you like. As for how we got here, that all really started when my husband fell into a coma a couple months ago…" I told my story, from what I was aware of, with all the details of how magic had helped; this took a while to do, and I saw that despite her stoic face her eyes sparkled. After I had finished I noticed that Carol had come over sitting down on the lawn chair parallel to the one we were sitting on.

Michonne glanced at Carol. Carol put on her social face; the one that she used on people in her store. It was warm inviting and sincere to a point, "We're just about done with making lunch. Do you two want to join us?"

I looked past Carol tilting my head to the side and saw that everyone had gathered at the extended table that Glenn, Hershel, and Merle had set up. A bright blue table cloth was spread across the table and I noticed that they had made more than just barbeque and mashed potatoes. There was a roast chicken, peas and carrots, corn on the cob, gravy, French fries, and a tossed salad. Someone had also conjured up two jugs of watermelon juice, a jug of orange juice, apple juice, and two jugs of water. There was even a chocolate fudge cake! _Damn_ they went all out. I knew for a fact that one or more of the kids had to have conjured some of it up. I was proud of them; they could do basic permanent conjuration without any adult supervision now.

"Are you hungry, Michonne?" I was rather hungry myself. We had skipped over breakfast because of the herd that we avoided in the morning.

Her stomach loudly grumbled and she gave a tight smile before nodding, "I am…but before that I'd like a demonstration of this _magic_. It seems too good to be true. I mean…you could _heal_ me if it were. I would be _**forever**_ indebted to you guys…" She had a longing look at the food and a sad smile washed across her face. "My baby girl could _live_." I privately wondered just _**how**_ malnourished both of them were. She was still wearing a cloak and her baby was kind of bundled up. It was really hard to tell.

I nodded, "Well I can't make any awesome feats of magic like I was able to when I wasn't pregnant, but I can have us show you what we can do." Carol helped me up and I called over the kids. We each conjured, levitated, and transfigured something for Michonne which caused her to look like a startled doe. It was actually really hilarious when I thought about it. After our demonstration Michonne willingly joined us at the table. She tucked in with gusto and I couldn't help but smile. Rick kissed my neck, "You did good, sweet pea."

I turned catching his lips, "I love you too, darling." He smiled against my lips. We both returned to eating our meals with our hands interlocked. Everyone was enjoying our hearty lunch, and I couldn't help but feel at ease.

After lunch I had Michonne stay at the table while I conjured up a restorative potion. "This'll work in about three hours. I know that you've just ate, but all of that won't fix the malnutrition that you do still have. This potion will though. Would you like to lactate again as well? We can also give a child sized dose to your daughter. Beth, the young blonde girl that you sat by earlier has been looking at diagnostic spells so she can assess what we have to do for you and your girl. So will you take it and let us do those spells and charms on you?" I leaned against my husband who had opted to stay behind just incase she put up a fight. The sun was dipping down in the sky and Rick probably didn't want to take any chances.

Michonne had clearly relaxed in our presence and nodded. Her little girl was currently suckling on formula we had given her during lunch. What I hadn't told her was that I had already put a bit of restorative potion in the bottle along with a tummy soother. In case she didn't agree, I made sure that her child would still be healed a little _at least_. She took the potion without complaint, and stayed calm while I applied the lactation charm on her breasts, and they swelled with milk instantaneously. That child wouldn't go hungry any more.

After three hours she was much more cheerful and willing to venture into our RV, which was just as well since that's where we all were. We had decided as a group that the tent would be our backup since it wasn't as convenient as the RV.

The restorative potion had worked; her gaunt cheeks had puffed back up, her sick complexion had turned into a healthy flush, and her eyes no longer had bags under them. She also didn't look like a strong gust of wind would blow her away now either. With more meals and exercise Michonne would be at her top form, just like in the show before the fall of the prison. Her daughter had vastly improved as well; her cheeks were chubby, her eyes were bright, and she had stopped crying. Now she was just happily gurgling letting drool escape from her gummy mouth. Michonne cradled her child while I gathered her into the RV with Rick following right behind me.

We showed her around our mobile home base after I made sure I had locked the door and that the charms, runes, and wards were still active. The door glowed a shimmering blue that indicated that it was _**indeed**_ still active. I loved the way shock bloomed on her face when she realized that it was _**much**_ bigger on the inside.

Inside the RV, we had a medium sized open floor plan with a kitchen, living room, and dining room. We had eight and a half bathrooms and eight bedrooms, which was the max number of rooms we could add to this vehicle without it breaking down, even with feather light charms. There were four bedrooms on the ground floor and another four up a spiral staircase that led to the upper floor, each room had its own spacious bathroom. Speaking of floors, our interior floor was a dark mahogany that matched our kitchen cabinets, but the bedrooms were covered in a soft cream carpet that had self cleaning charms applied to it. Rick and I were situated in one bedroom, like Morgan and Jenny, on the first floor. The kids had the biggest room, fifteen by fifteen, together on the first floor as well. They had all agreed on having personalized twin mattress bunk beds. We also had a spare room on the ground floor as well. That green hued spare room with the queen mattress would probably go to Michonne, because I doubt that Merle would want to share his room. I would have to get one of the kids or Beth to conjure up a crib as well. I felt magically tapped out to really do any more magic for today.

Maggie and Glen shared a room, Daryl and Carol had a room, Hershel and Beth shared a room, and Merle volunteered to have the smallest room which was ten by twelve. All of their rooms were on the second floor, and a small staircase that led to the roof was also on the second floor. All the walls were colored to the owner's tastes, and the kids, Beth, and I all helped to conjure and or transfigure all the furniture and appliances we had. Basically we had an eclectic colorful set of furniture for the RV once everything was said and done. I personally loved our rainbow colored modern upholstered couch.**

After that and a long bit of rest for me, I had also conjured up technology for everyone. Each room had a smart panel TV, and each person had either an android phone or an android phone watch. Said technology was charmed to be waterproof, break proof, and was powered by a little rune carved at the back of the base of the phone or watch. Rick had also suggested that it have a notice-me-not charm intertwined with our tech. We all agreed that was a must as well. The only people that hadn't chosen the android watch were Rick, myself, Jenny, Carol, Hershel, Merle and Morgan. Apparently regular android phones 'weren't cool' in the kids' words. I personally thought that they just liked it because they felt like 'future spies' in Judy's words.

After the tour I figured that Michonne might want some of our technology, protection jewelry, or whatever else we always carried. I honestly forgot sometimes because I always had it on me. It's like forgetting that you're wearing glasses after you wear them for a long time; the item just becomes a part of you. I know we also had a spare set of clothes, toothbrushes, and the like for her if she wanted it, although if she wanted something else more personalized to her tastes it would have to wait until tomorrow.

_iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii_

So diary,

Hello again. I feel like we're okay where we are for now since we managed to stay at the abandoned mill and campsite long past November and right into December without any real incident. That's one of the few reasons I'm able to actually write in you again. Duane had his birthday back in November, and we all celebrated together in the RV. It was really neat having a party in our RV; it almost felt like we weren't constantly avoiding disaster via walker. We had balloons, pastries, streamers, bubbles, and the additional people certainly made the atmosphere lively. He was so happy! I think it was because he got a ton of gifts, everyone was there, and Jenny let him have as much chocolate as his little body could handle. It may have been Morgan now that I though to it…I conjured up a box of super hero comics for him. I'm glad I had a phase where all I would read were comic books and manga; that boy looked giddy when I gave it to him.

A bunch of neat things happened since the beginning of November when we met Michonne.

Beth had gone on her _first_ run with Daryl, Carol, Morgan, Maggie; basically _everyone_ else excluding me, Jenny, and the kids back during the end of November. They took rotating shifts for who had to go on a run or have guard duty for us and the kids. Sure, we could conjure up what we mainly needed, but we had to know the inner workings of said items. Besides that, conjuration did drain up magical energy so I couldn't conjure up things all the time, the kids didn't have that big of a magical reserve because of their ages, and neither did Beth since she was just starting to learn. Before they let her come along, she was put through **a lot** of walker killing lessons with Carol and Michonne. Now she was a regular ass-kicking walker killer like the rest of them. I had no doubt in my mind that could take care of herself if she ever got separated from us. She wouldn't die like in the show.

I was _**right**_, by the way. Carol and Michonne got along like a house on fire. I was a little jealous because I had known Carol longer, but I couldn't fault her for making more friends. I mean, I was friends with Michonne too, but we didn't have that much in common. Both of them liked to work out, clean guns, martial arts, and a whole bunch of other things that I didn't really enjoy doing. At the end of the day I was okay with it since I still had Jenny. We could watch sappy romantic comedies, sip on mango smoothies, and eat strange food while those two worked out in the background. It was a good choice, I think, bringing Michonne into the fold, although Daryl was a _little_ irritated because he had to share Carol's attention.

After a while with us, Michonne had let down her walls which allowed us to get to know her better. I found out that she was a family lawyer before the world went to shit. She had stated that she went into it since she was adopted along with her brother when they were younger. She wanted to make adoptions easier for people who wanted to have kids, but couldn't for some reason. I never knew that when I had watched the show, and I realized just like I had with Merle, that this Michonne was different. I like her still though and her adorable baby Anna. She was a regular sweetheart, and everyone loved doting on her. Judy happily gave her some of her stuffed animals, Sophia loved feeding and cuddling her and the boys liked messing with Anna. I think they were still really amused with how hard that baby would laugh during peek-a-boo.

We also introduced Michonne to our Three Sisters Island plan. She had agreed that it was a good plan of action, but she also raised the question as to what we would do there. We never really planned on what we would do with the island after clearing it of walkers, raiders, rapists, or any other monsters. Because lets face it, walkers are real, magic is real, who's to say that other monsters aren't real either? So for the rest of the month of November and into the middle of December we mapped out what we would be doing once we got there. We had all agreed that once Jenny and I gave birth we would be making our way to our planned destination come hell or high water. Everyone put in their ideas and this is what we came up with.

We would unshrink our house, and chop down as many trees as we needed to make other buildings. Once my magic came back, the kids and Beth would be able to help transfigure our house to be much bigger on the inside. Everyone all agreed that we should share a house. I think we had all gotten used to having everyone so close by. The other buildings would be a barn for animals, and any other buildings anyone wanted that couldn't fit into our main home.

Hershel had stated that he had really wanted fruit trees, but they had never been able to afford it. My husband, who had the greener thumb between the two of us, suggested we have a huge garden and orchard, so that was going to happen.

Merle had pointed out that we should go on runs for things for our new home since we could just put them on stasis when we need them later. I think he had a lot of fun toying with the idea of magic when no one was looking.

Beth and Maggie had suggested that we should keep and or trap any horses we find for our plan. Judy had laughed and asked if we could turn them tiny instead of putting them into a sleeping stasis. The kids loved the idea of miniature animals. I couldn't really understand it.

Daryl had suggested that we put a big fence around our property so we would know which areas were cleared and safe. Carol had added that we should also put up other fences and signs that indicated that it was safe as well. Both of them usually did this when they suggested things. One always mentioned half of the other persons' idea. I wondered if they knew that they did that.

We had a bunch of other plans involving our safe haven for the future, but I would probably take up _all the pages_ in this book detailing them out. I'll just mention what happens when we actually get there and get some work done. Here's hoping that we get there _soon_.

lllllllllllllllllllllllll

Soon enough it was Christmas Eve and I felt like I swallowed a watermelon; I was four months along at this point. The weather was extremely cool, but like most southern states we didn't really get any snow nor need parkas either. Glenn had found Christmas stuff during their last run and Rick was terribly excited. He and I loved Christmas out of all the holidays. However, it was not so much because of the religious reasons I'm sad to say. It was more because he got the day off at Christmas and we got to spend time together as a family without any interruptions from the outside world. I felt a little bad that we took someone's Christmas stuff, but ten to one they were dead so….oh well.

It was a green plastic pine tree that we easily assembled in our living room. The baubles were all in differing shades or red and gold. The kids got creative with adding their own magic baubles. Carl added a hovering snitch, Judy added floating sparkles all over the tree, Duane put spinning sushi, Beth added small rainbow colored floating orbs of light here and there, and Sophia conjured up a giant pixilated star from Mario. I was just happy that it wasn't alive. I conjured up fake snow that lined underneath the tree, and I made sure to sprinkle some all over the tree. Maggie had found their decorations that she had packed from their house, and placed them onto our tree with Hershel and Glenn. Putting that tree up was certainly fun and involved everyone.

While we were stringing up popcorn, Glenn had turned to us holding Maggie's hand in his. Hershel was grinning like a loon. Oh yeah! Didn't they get engaged at some point earlier? I totally forgot to ask about that...

"Guys, Maggie and I have something to tell you." He glanced at her and she in return gave him a sweet kiss in return.

Rick and I cuddled on the love seat while I helped string up popcorn from our bowl. The kids were playing with the Xbox, Mia, or messing with Anna and Trevor the turtle. Anna apparently found Judy's conjured turtle fascinating.

Michonne was helping make the turkey with Morgan in the kitchen while Jenny worked on making an apple pie with them. Beth was making mashed potatoes and a salad. Rick and I volunteered to make southern ribs, but only after everyone cleared out of the kitchen. As nice as it was having people around all the time, we liked making cooking one of our 'couple things'.

Merle snorted and lounged on the couch, "Don't tell me ya'll are pregnant too. No offense to shortie, Oreo, and the Samurai, but we have too many babies, Darlin'." He had just come off of guard duty before deciding that everything would be mostly fine today since we had put up extra shields. It wouldn't be fun not having all of us present for Christmas Eve dinner.

Daryl rolled his eyes at his brother's antics and Carol pinched him. "Damn it woman." They had just come back from their turn at going for a 'gift run', and I doubted he wanted to do anything besides lie down against Carol.

Carol raised an eyebrow and motioned to Merle with her head. Daryl sighed, "Merle, come on now."

Merle shrugged and sat up, "Well?"

Hershel let out a loud laugh, "That's not it."

Maggie was as pink as a strawberry, "Glenn please just tell them."

Glenn was pink too, but I couldn't tell if it was because of Asian glow or if he was genuinely embarrassed, "We're getting married!"

A lot of the women/girls shrieked and were basically excruciatingly giddy, well besides Michonne and Carol. Those two just smiled and looked at one another. Seriously, they needed to join in on the giddy jumping. Jenny and I couldn't really jump along with them because our husbands had pulled us back. Honestly, they treated us like china dolls. We got to see her ring and Hershel had explained that it had belonged to her mother and when they got married he would give Glenn his wedding band. He stated that he had his chance at happiness with his wife; his new son-in-law should get his turn too.

Rick kissed the back of my neck encircling my belly with his arms, "Merry Christmas Eve, sweet pea."

I grinned and tilted my head silently asking for a kiss. He chuckled and sweetly kissed me. "Merry Christmas Darlin'."

We would've continued cooing over Maggie and Glenn's engagement if we didn't hear the kids burst into laughter. Merle was currently snickering watching something on his phone or recording what was going on. It was probably the latter knowing him.

Anna, who was five months old now was learning how to crawl, was covered in the fake snow and the children had egged her on to trying to rip open their presents under the tree. She kept laughing and trying to tear at the paper. She had really good motor skills and dexterity for a five month old.

We had to pull the baby and the children away from the tree and the gifts since we had all agreed to open everything after dinner.

I rolled my eyes and although my two kids apologized for egging on a baby I could see that they were unrepentant.

While we all ate our heavenly dinner, I privately wished that we could continue this peace. Sure we still encountered walkers on our runs and Merle had mentioned just missing a weird hostile group, but for the most part we were okay. I felt at ease again, and that made me worry at the back of my mind because every time that happened something shitty or surprising followed.

Rick and the others were laughing along uproariously to a joke Daryl had surprisingly made. I smiled and rubbed my full belly. The next big run that they would endeavor to go to would be a small hospital or an OBGYN clinic if they could find one. I really wanted to get equipment that would help make mine and Jenny's delivery as smooth as possible.

It was past mid night after dinner, and we all sat around the tree comfortably lounging while we drank our preferred drinks. The kids were unwrapping all their gifts joyously first and we all happily watched them. There a lot of 'thank yous' and interesting gift surprises.

We then took our turns opening our gifts. Rick had somehow gotten me a Panasonic rice cooker, which I had mentioned wanting back before the walker apocalypse. He explained that they had found a Japanese home with Beth on their run. She had managed to shrink all of their stuff which explained the strange small box in my lap. Having another magic user was all sorts of useful. I wondered what other kinds of things my husband had picked out for me. Over the years he had noticed how fascinated I was with all things Japan related especially technology wise. Michonne and her toddler get protection jewelry for Christmas along with a bunch of other things. Everyone loved their gifts; conjured and or found on a run. All in all it had been an interesting and great Christmas.

lllllllllllllllllllllllll

To be continued...

llllllllllllllllllllllll

**Michonne Anthony***: I'm aware that Anthony _isn't_ really her last name, but rather her son's second _first_ name. As a tribute to that awesomely brave little boy it'll be her last name from now on.

** The couch looks this: : / / cdn. freshome wp-content /uploads /2012/ 09/ IRIS1. jpg Just make sure to not use the spaces for the website because it won't work otherwise.


End file.
